INTERCHURCH  WORLD  MOVEMENT  OF  NORTH  AMERICA 


World  Survey 

A  Statistical  Mirror 


PREPARED  BY 

THE  SURVEY  DEPARTMENT 


THIS  issue  of  A  Statistical  Mirror  is  a 
facsimile  reproduction  of  the  edition  dis¬ 
tributed  at  the  World  Survey  Conference  at 
Atlantic  City,  January  7-10,  1920. 

It  is  now  being  revised  and  enlarged.  The 
revised  edition  will  be  issued  in  two  sizes  con¬ 
forming  to  the  Library  edition  and  Handy 
Volume  edition  of  the  World  Survey  Volume. 
The  former,  8  x  11  inches,  about  64  pages, 
printed  in  two  colors,  will  be  sold  at  twenty- 
five  cents  a  copy.  The  Handy  Volume  edition, 
which  will  be  a  5  >2  x  8  inches  facsimile  repro¬ 
duction  of  the  Library  edition,  will  be  sold  for 
fifteen  cents  a  copy. 

NOTE:  A  copy  of  the  Statistical  Mirror 
will  be  included  with  each  set  of  the  Inter- 
church  World  Survey.  Persons  ordering  the 
latter,  therefore,  need  not  order  A  Statistical 
Mirror.  The  prices  of  the  Interchurch  World 
Survey,  Library  edition,  8  x  11  inches,  two 
volumes,  two  colors,  $1.00  per  volume — $2.00 
per  set.  Handy  Volume  edition,  x  8  inches, 
two  volumes,  two  colors,  fifty  cents  each — 
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Cash  must  accompany  all  orders  at  these 
prices.  Send  all  orders  to  Sales  Department, 
Interchurch  World  Movement,  45  West  18th 
Street,  New  York  City. 


INTERCHURCH  WORLD  MOVEMENT  OF  NORTH  AMERICA 


WORLD  SURVEY 
CONFERENCE 

ATLANTIC  CITY 
JANUARY  7  to  10,  1920 


A  Statistical  Mirror 


PREPARED  BY 

STATISTICAL  DEPARTMENT 


' 


* 


CONTENTS 


Introduction . 

Page 

5 

Church  Membership  in  the  United 
States  . 

6 

Membership  Feeders  .... 

8-10 

Ministerial  Support  .  ... 

14 

Statistical  Table  of  Methodist  and 
Seventh  Day  Adventist  Churches  . 

18 

Forward  Movements  .  . 

20 

One  Billion  Dollars  for  Advance  Work 

22 

The  Latent  Church . 

24 

The  Developed  Church . 

26 

Clearing  Up  the  Record 

29 

Page 

Daily  Participation .  30 

Common  Types  of  Statistical  Errors  .  34 

For  the  Quiet  Hour . 36-37 

For  Scripture  Notes .  38 

The  Valley  of  Dry  Bones  ....  39 

Winnowing  Grain .  40 

Poverty’s  Offering .  41 

The  Modern  Thresher .  42 

The  Grain  Tithe  ....  •  .  43 


A  Soldier’s  Estimate  of  the  Interchurch  - 
World  Movement .  44 


CHARTS  AND  GRAPHS 


Page 

Two  Hundred  and  One  Religious  Bodies  7 

Membership  Record — Church,  Sunday 
Schools  and  Young  People’s  Societies  9 

Membership  Record — 

Spring  Conferences,  Including  Foreign  11 

Spring  Conferences — Home  Group  12 

Presbyterian  ....  12 

Spring  Conferences — Foreign  Group  13 


Are  Preachers  Overpaid?  ...  15 

Per  Cent.  Record — 

Presbyterian  Church  (North)  .  .  16 

Per  Cent.  Record — 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church  .  .  17 

Per  Capita  of  Total  Church  Expenses — 
Methodist  and  Adventist  .  19 


Offerings — Presbyterian,  Baptist,  Meth¬ 
odist,  Past  and  Future  .  .  21 


One  Billion  Dollars . 

Page 

23 

An  Unrelated  Membership  .... 

25 

A  Related  Membership . 

27 

Quadrennium  Records — 

Methodist  Episcopal,  1915-1918 

28 

Presbyterian,  1916-1919 

28 

Methodist  Episcopal,  1911-1914 

29 

Per  Member  Benevolent  Offering  Records— 

By  the  Day . 

31 

By  the  Week . 

31 

By  the  Month  . 

32 

By  the  Year . 

32 

Everything  Except  the  Kingdom  .  . 

33 

A  Page  of  Statistical  Errors  .  .  - 

35 

Lantern  Slide  Pictures . 

41—43 

■  . 


A  STATISTICAL  MIRROR 


THE  purpose  of  this  book  is  to  set  forth  in  graphic  form  a  few  general  facts 
concerning  the  work  of  the  church  in  its  several  branches.  The  charts 
presented  were  selected  to  set  forth  some  varied  conditions  of  church  activi¬ 
ties  and  are  intended  for  study  and  careful  analysis. 

Experience  has  made  clear  that  in  dealing  with  statistical  records  in  chart  and  graph 
form  the  lessons  set  forth  are  usually  a  revelation  to  the  people  who  look  for  the  first 
time  into  what  may  be  termed  a  statistical  mirror. 

A  diagnosis  of  conditions  in  the  church  before  undertaking  a  great  forward  movement 
is  as  essential  as  the  physician's  diagnosis  before  administering  his  treatment.  That 
the  church  has  not  measured  up  to  its  world  responsibility  needs  no  argument. 

In  dealing  with  actual  conditions  of  church  life  and  legislation  affecting  our  benevo¬ 
lent  and  local  interests  the  individual  member  must  be  kept  definitely  in  mind. 

The  church  membership  does  not  seem  to  be  aware  of  existing  conditions. 

Our  hope  lies  in  relating  the  entire  membership  to  the  central  purpose  of  church 
organization.  One  of  the  most  alarming  indications  is  the  increasing  number  of 
unrelated  members,  a  certain  sign  of  decreasing  vitality 

The  vitality  of  Christianity  is  diminished  as  its  adherents  fail  to  give  of  life,  service 
and  means.  When  the  church  fails  in  holding  its  own  young  people  its  decline  is 
inevitable. 

A  church  organization  in  a  community  center  with  a  large  percentage  of  its  members 
inactive  usually  fails  adequately  to  support  its  minister  and  seeks  to  excuse  itself 
from  missionary  responsibility.  If,  as  men  prosper  financially,  they  decline  spiritually 
they  are  reversing  the  fundamental  teachings  of  the  word  of  God. 

A  careful  study  of  the  Scriptures  will  reveal  that  the  highest  service  we  can  render 
is  the  giving  of  ourselves.  As  to  offerings,  if  we  give  according  to  our  ability  the 
amount  will  usually  exceed  the  tithe. 

The  greatest  service  the  pastors  of  evangelical  Christianity  can  render  .the  Interchurch 
World  Movement  of  North  America  and  the  kingdom  of  God  is  to  put  forth  faithful 
and  increasing  efforts  to  secure  the  full  cooperation  of  each  registered  member  in  a 
forward  movement. 


6 


A  STATISTICAL  MIRROR 


Church  Membership  in  the  United  States 

FOR  THE  YEAR  1918 


THE  chart  on  the  opposite  page  was 
originally  drawn  to  a  scale  of  1,000,000 
members  to  the  square  inch.  The  42,044,374 
church  members  are  divided  according  to  the 
6ize  of  the  201  different  bodies  as  reported 
by  the  government's  Bureau  of  Religious 
Statistics. 

The  Roman  Catholics  are  reported  as  a  single 
body  and  119  other  churches  are  scaled  accord¬ 
ing  to  their  numerical  strength,  with  81  smaller 
bodies  grouped  in  a  single  block  which  repre¬ 
sents  the  relative  size  of  their  combined  mem¬ 
bership. 

The  chart  was  prepared  to  illustrate  a  table  of 
statistics  so  that  the  relative  numerical  strength 
of  the  religious  bodies  of  our  country  might  be 
readily  seen. 

The  methods  of  compiling  religious  statistics 
differ  widely  in  the  several  religious  bodies, 
especially  when  attempts  are  made  to  har¬ 
monize  the  records  of  Protestant  and  Roman 
Catholic.  Care  must  be  exercised  that  we  do 
not  over-estimate  the  strength  of  a  religious 
body  because  of  the  number  of  its  members. 

By  a  more  careful  analysis  it  will  be  found  that 
the  development  of  some  of  the  smaller  bodies 
in  local  and  benevolent  church  life  will  serve 
as  an  object  lesson  for  many  of  the  larger 
organizations. 

One  of  the  most  vital  subjects  affecting  church 
statistics  is  that  of  the  children;  some  of  the 
branches  of  the  church  counting  them  as  mem¬ 
bers  from  infancy  and  others  actually  under¬ 
taking  to  conduct  the  work  of  ftie  church  with¬ 
out  them.  This  is  often  the  cause  of  conflicting 
statements  as  to  the  relation  of  church  member¬ 
ship  to  population  and  nothing  is  rpore  mislead¬ 
ing  than  to  state  that  the  unsaved  portion  of  a 
given  population  is  the  difference  between  the 
population  itself  and  the  number  of  people 
recorded  as  church  members.  It  should  be 


kept  in  mind  that  according  to  the  last  official 
census  26  per  cent,  of  the  entire  population  of 
the  United  States  were  children  under  eleven 
years  of  age. 

Aside  from  the  child  life  which  certainly  cannot 
be  counted  against  us,  there  are  literally  millions 
of  people  in  America  who  have  belonged  to 
Christian  churches  but  who  are  not  now  re¬ 
corded  as  actual  communicants.  Many  of  these 
are  worshiping  in  churches  in  which  they  do 
not  hold  their  membership.  This  is  especially 
true  in  some  western  communities  where  by 
actual  count  it  has  been  established  that  the 
number  of  church  members  belonging  elsewhere 
equals  the  number  who  belong  locally 

Perhaps  one  of  the  first  and  most  essential 
movements  of  the  church  should  be  in  united 
efforts  to  gather  in  these  people  and  to  enlist 
their  full  cooperation  in  the  work  of  the  church. 
If  the  Interchurch  World  Movement  of  North 
America  is  to  succeed  with  its  world  program 
we  shall  need  the  full  cooperation  of  the  last 
man,  woman  and  child  of  the  entire  Christian 
body. 

Methods  of  making  up  religious  statistics  differ 
widely.  In  some  cases  we  find  actual  member¬ 
ship  only,  while  in  others  the  figures  are  made 
to  include  the  church  constituency  in  its 
broadest  sense.  Thus  we  encounter  almost 
unsurmountable  difficulties  in  compiling  uni¬ 
form  tables  of  church  statistics. 

Concerted  action  should  be  taken  by  the 
religious  communions  of  Protestantism  looking 
to  greater  uniformity  in  respect  to  what  con¬ 
stitutes  church  membership,  what  should '  be 
included  in  the  reporting  of  church  properties, 
ministerial  support,  and  church  benevolent 
offerings. 

The  official  or  legal  names  of  religious  bodies 
should  be  reported  in  making  returns  for  all 
items  of  record. 


THE  TWO  HUNDRED  ONE  RELIGIOUS  BODIES 

IN  THE  UNITED  STATES 

From  the  Government  Bureau  of  Statistics 


1918 


Roman 

Catholic 

15.742.262 


Eastern  Orthodox 

250.3 40 


Jewish  Congregation 

359  998 


Latter  Day  Saints 

Two  ood»es 
^62.332. 


German  Evangelical 
Synoo 

342  -7©e 


Reformed  in  U  S 
340  671 


Churches  of  Christ 
319  2" 


Colored  Methodist  Episcopal 
24E>  74Q 


Disciples 
of  Christ 

1.231 .404- 


Northern 

Baptist 

Convention 

1.227  448 


Lutheran  Synodical 
Conference 

777  438 


Lutheran 
General  Council 
535 108 


Lutheran  14  Bodies 

193  953 


Methodist  Protestant 

186873 


Lutheran  Untied  Norwegian 

1*77  ^€>3 


Lutheran  Svnod  of  Ohio 

165.116 


United  Presbyterian 

1607263 


Reformed  jn  kmgiCQ 


TUTT?75n^To|^7o=a 


Presbvtenan 

126, 


7  bodies 

OQI 


Evangel  on 


Advent 


Lutheran  Synod 

for  Norwegian 
12  .7/3 


United  Evangelical 

90  007 


Methodist  S  bod«>s 

(While)  793  34- 


Church" 

853. 


Cnjrch  c/  he 

Brethren 
105  649 


Friends  Or Ihodffl 
94  in 


Menoniles  Ifebodm 

79  591 

QneU'rcn  *  >—>»-»  28 ITT 


All  other  81  bodies 

647  868 


Lutheran  Gen  Synod 

370616 


Presbyterian  in  US 

357  666 


Umled  BreEhnpn  inChnst 
348490 


tUrOK-MF-O* 


Methodist 

Episcopal 

South 

2.108.061 


Presbyteriaa 
in  USA 

1613  0S6 


Protestant 

Episcopal 

1.098.173 


Congregational 

790  163 


African 

Methodist  Episcopal 

552  265 


African  M  E  Zion 

250.433 


Baptist 

South 

2.711,591 


Methodist 

Episcopal 

3718.396 


Baptist 

Colored 

3.018.341 


Baptist  •  14  Bodies 
279.270 


=  2S0.000  Members  TOTAL  MEMBERSHIP  -  42.044.374 


E 


rttarchurch  Htrt)  Movement  of  North  Amend 


A  STATISTICAL  MIRROR 


3 


Membership  Feeders 

Illustrated  by  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 


THE  church  has  been  receiving  a  large 
percentage  of  its  membership  from  the 
Sunday  schools  and  young  people’s  societies 
and  we  have  accustomed  ourselves  to  look  upon 
these  organizations  as  the  reservoirs  from  which 
the  church  receives  the  major  part  of  its  mem¬ 
bership. 

The  record  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
will  serve  as  an  illustration.  This  denomina¬ 
tion  has  not  reported  a  loss  in  membership  in  its 
total  figures  for  the  past  37  years.  During  the 
last  10  years  it  reported  gains  of  from  50  to  130 
thousand  per  year,  bi_„  last  year,  1918,  the 
increase  was  only  5226,  while  this  year,  1919, 
the  spring  conferences  reported  an  actual  loss 
of  10,656.  The  unchecked  reports  of  the  fall 
conferences  indicate  that  the  denomination  as 
a  whole  will  report  an  actual  loss  in  membership 
for  the  present  year.  This  calls  for  more  than 
passing  consideration.  If  it  be  true  in  the 
several  bodies  of  Protestant  Christianity,  sooner 
or  later  it  cannot  help  but  diminish  the  mis¬ 
sionary  activities  of  the  church.  If  the  stream 
flows  with  less  volume  there  is  real  concern  lest 
its  sources  of  supply  be  drying  up. 

Is  it  not  a  fair  question  to  inquire  the  causes  for 
the  decline  of  membership  ? 

On  the  opposite  page  the  per  cent,  chart  shows 
that  the  spring  conferences  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  reported  a  gain  in  member¬ 
ship  each  year  from  1915  to  1918,  as  is  indicated 
by  the  solid  line  beginning  at  the  zero  (0)  mark 
and  moving  upward  for  three  years.  The  per 


cent,  of  gain  or  loss  in  each  case  is  computed 
upon  the  figures  of  1915. 

In  1915  there  were  1,485,353  members 
In  1916  there  was  an  increase  of  46,874  members 
In  1917  “  “  “  “  “29,770  “ 

In  1918  “  “  “  “  “  6,514 

In  1919  “  “  a  decrease  of  10,656  “ 

Thus  this  diminishing  increase  at  last  resulted 
in  an  actual  loss;  and  why?  First,  the  Sunday 
school,  the  main  feeder  or  source  of  supply, 
reported  as  follows: 

In  1916  a  membership  increase  of  18,361 
In  1917  “  “  decrease  of  29,136 

In  1918  “  “  “  “  44,968 

In  1919  “  “  “  “  37,250 

or  a  net  loss  for  the  four  years  of  92,993  mem¬ 
bers.  During  the  same  period  the  Epworth 
League  reported  a  net  loss  of  35,445,  and  the 
Junior  League,  14,293. 

Whatever  may  be  the  record  as  to  the  number 
of  conversions  in  the  Sunday  schools  and  young 
people’s  societies  during  the  past  few  years,  the 
fact  remains  that  in  many  of  our  church  ser¬ 
vices  the  absence  of  young  people  is  most 
noticeable.  The  chart  on  the  opposite  page  is 
intended  to  tell  its  own  story. 

There  are  other  feeders  which  supply  the  church 
with  its  membership.  In  the  Methodist  Episco¬ 
pal  Church  ten  membership  feeders  are  re¬ 
ported,  and  the  Presbyterian  Church  reports 
five,  as  will  be  noted  on  the  charts  which  follow. 


1IFE  FORCES  are  always  genetic.  They  proceed  from  life  and  move  on 
-o'  to  quicken  other  life.  The  church  is  a  living,  throbbing  organism.  Her 
vitality  is  exactly  the  vitality  of  her  membership.  Her  children  are  seed. 
Rightly  nurtured,  they  become  the  flower  of  her  Christian  youth  and  the 
fruit  appears  in  a  consecrated  maturity. 


A  STATISTICAL  MIRROR 


The  Church  of  the  Future 

AS  THE  church  must  draw  the  major  part  of  its  membership  from  the  Christian  home  and 
/  \  from  its  young  people's  organizations,  if  it  is  to  succeed  in  a  great  and  permanent  forward 
movement,  church  leaders,  pastors,  teachers  and  parents  must  guard  against  the  danger  of 
separating  the  young  life  from  being  vitally  related  to  the  organization  and  work  of  the 
church  itself. 

We  are  dependent  upon  the  young  manhood  and  womanhood  of  the  church  to  supply  our  pulpits 
at  home  and  abroad  and  for  Christian  leaders  in  all  departments  of  church  activity. 

The  work  of  life  service  will  ultimately  break  down  unless  the  trend  of  the  church,  as  shown  by  the 
lines  of  the  above  chart,  is  changed. 


A  STATISTICAL  MIRROR 


10 


Other  Membership  Feeders 


IN  THE  consideration  of  church  life  atten¬ 
tion  is  called  not  only  to  full  membership 
but  also  to  the  items  of  preparatory  and  non¬ 
resident  members,  deaths,  baptisms,  Sunday 
school,  young  people’s  societies  and  the  number 
under  religious  instruction. 

The  membership  graph  of  the  spring  conferences 
was  prepared  for  the  purpose  of  presenting  to 
the  eye  by  lines  the  percentage  of  increase  or 
decrease  from  year  to  year  of  the  above  “feed¬ 
ers”  of  church  membership. 

In  the  left  hand  column  are  the  items  consid¬ 
ered  and  the  figures  as  reported  in  1915.  These 
serve  as  the  basis  of  calculating  the  percentage 
of  increase  and  decrease  for  each  year. 

Figures  for  the  year  1919  are  placed  in  the  right 
hand  column  opposite  the  respective  items  for 
1915.  The  actual  increase  or  decrease  may  be 
found  by  subtraction. 

Each  division  of  the  vertical  lines  represents 
20  per  cent,  and  the  horizontal  divisions  cover 
a  year  of  time.  The  dotted  line  is  the  base  of 
calculation  as  it  represents  the  record  of  1915 
for  each  item. 

As  a  practical  explanation  of  the  working  of  the 
chart,  the  first  item  on  the  left  is  “under  in¬ 
struction.”  In  the  year  1915  there  were  57,607 
reported.  Reading  directly  across  to  1919  the 
number  on  the  waiting  list  is  165,460  or  an 
increase  of  187.2  per  cent. 

The  third  item  is  that  of  membership.  The  line 
is  heavier  as  the  chart  is  a  membership  record. 


At  the  end  of  the.  first  vear.  1916.  five  of  the 
items  show  losses;  there  were  eight  downpulls 
in  1918;  and  also  eight  for  the  last  year,  pull¬ 
ing  the  membership  itself  into  the  loss,  with 
only  the  death  record  and  those  on  the  wait¬ 
ing  list  showing  an  increase. 

While  the  membership  curve  is  affected  by  the 
elements  which  feed  into  membership  it  is 
evident,  as  indicated  by  the  record  of  1919, 
that  the  membership  itself  cannot  be  sustained 
if  unsupported  by  the  items  which  build  it  up. 

No  item  has  moved  continuously  upward  each 
year  but  three  have  declined  each  year,  namely: 
the  number  of  adults  baptized;  the  number 
received  into  preparatory  membership;  and 
the  number  of  senior  league  members. 

If  a  straight  line  be  drawn  from  the  left  hand 
zero  passing  through  the  point  representing  the 
adults  baptized  in  1919  it  will  be  observed  that 
in  six  years  from  now,  if  the  present  rate  of 
decrease  were  to  continue  the  baptism  of  adults 
in  the  spring  conferences  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  would  cease. 

When  the  springs  begin  to  dry  up  the  flow  of 
the  stream  is  lessened;  or  when  the  branches 
of  the  vine  wither,  the  life  of  the  vine  itself  is 
imperilled. 

The  outstanding  feature  of  this  chart  is  the 
marked  percentage  of  increase  for  those  “under 
instruction”  or  in  training  for  church  member¬ 
ship.  This  item  must  be  kept  in  mind  in  study¬ 
ing  the  following  charts. 


SUFFER  the  little  children  to  come  unto  me,  and  forbid  them  not:  for 
to  such  belongeth  the  kingdom  of  God. 

Train  up  a  child  in  the  way  he  should  go,  and  even  when  he  is  old  he  will 
not  depart  from  it. 

Remember  also  thy  Creator  in  the  days  of  thy  youth. 


A  STATISTICAL  MIRROR 


11 


MEMBERSHIP  RECORD 

METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 
SPRING  CONFERENCES  -  INCLUDING  FOREIGN 


UNOER  INSTRUCTION 


191$ 


$7,607 


OEATHS 


78.236 


fUll  MEMBERS  . 
NON-RESIDENT  MEMBERS 


.  1.485.353 
.  92.226 


SUNDAY  SCHOOL  ENROLLMENT  f .872.467 
PREPARATORY  MEMBERS  ON  ROLL  334.260 
CHILDREN  BAPTIZEO  .  .  ,  73.130 

JUNIOR  LEAGUE  .  .  .  129.388 

SENIOR  LEAGUE  ....  260.465 


ADULTS  BAPTIZED.  *  .  ,  75,040 

PREPARATORY  MEMBERS  RECEIVED  1 57.01 1 


1805 

1&5 

/ 

140" 

1205 

1005 

805 

605  j 

405  / 

) 

205  / 

/ 

L 

f 

Jill 

404 

601 

JW 

m 

165,460 


1913 


42.672 


1.557855 

100932 

1.779.474 

316.039 

68.501 

115,095 

225.020 


46.770 

90.185 


191$ 


1916 


1917 


1918 


1919 


1920 


b/ercfiurch  Wotkj  ifaemenf  cf  North  America 


60/41 


MEMBERSHIP  RECORD 

METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH  SPRING  CONFERENCES 


1915 


DCAlHb 


19588 


TULL  MEMBERS  .  ... 

1322.171 

NONRESIDENT  MEM8ERS  .  . 

94.086 

SUNDAY  SCHOOL  ENROLLMENT 

1.572.752  ° 

UNDER  INSTRUCTION  .  .  . 

45.607 

CHILDREN  8APTIZED  .  .  ..  „ 

51638 

JUNIOR  LEAGUE  .  „  .  »  . 

108057  • 

SENIOR  LEAGUE  .  »  .  . 

233.807 

PREPARATORY  MEMBERS  ON  ROLL  127.780 

PREPARATORY  MEM8ERS  RECEIVED  1 40.274 
ADULTS  BAPTIZED  50.635 


MOS 

20'S 

/ 

V 

—  — 

20S 

40t 

60S 

8W 

m 

1919 

25.900 


1.415090 

96.274 

1.520.448 

42.610 

45.454 

94.725 

203.472 


78.173 

70.464 

23.293 


HOME  GROUP 


Merdwrch  Wtfd  Movement  of  Hor!h  America 


G  DM2 


A  STATISTICAL  MIRROR 


13 


<4 


Where  the  Growth 
of  the  Church 
Takes  Place 

THIS  chart  shows  the  per  cent,  move¬ 
ments  of  membership  and  its  feeders  for 
the  foreign  group  of  spring  conferences. 

In  the  chart  of  the  spring  conferences  including 
foreign  group,  as  shown  on  a  preceding  page, 
the  line  representing  those  “under  instruction” 
advanced  to  187  per  cent,  but  when  the  record 
is  analyzed  and  the  home  group  is  separated, 
this  line,  as  may  be  seen  on  the  opposite  page, 
shows  an  actual  loss  of  7  per  cent,  over  the  1915 
record. 

Of  necessity  the  scale  of  the  accompanying 
chart  has  been  reduced  to  accommodate  the 
space  required  to  set  forth  the  lesson  of  the 
increase  of  those  under  instruction  in  foreign 
fields. 

When  the  record  of  this  total  is  analyzed,  the 
entire  gain  in  respect  to  the  number  of  persons 
on  the  waiting  list,  or  “under  instruction,”  was 
in  the  foreign  field. 

Were  this  same  rate  of  increase  to  be  made  by 
the  entire  Protestant  body,  it  would  require 
less  than  five  years  to  reach  the  last  man, 
woman  and  child  on  the  face  of  the  globe. 
The  tragedy  of  this  lies  in  the  fact  that  these 
people  on  the  waiting  list  are  not  members. 
They  are  waiting  at  the  door,  asking  for  teachers 
and  schools;  for  preachers  and  houses  of  wor¬ 
ship;  and  for  lack  of  these  they  were  neither 
baptized  nor  received  into  membership. 

The  only  losses  as  shown  on  the  above  chart  are 
in  the  number  of  persons  baptized,  due  to  the 
fact  that  we  cannot  receive  persons  into  church 
membership  until  they  have  been  baptized. 


1WILL  give  thee  the  nations  for  thine 
inheritance. 

And  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth 
for  thy  possession, 


A  STATISTICAL  MIRROR 


14 


Ministerial  Support 


THERE  are  few  subjects  which  relate 
more  closely  to  the  success  of  the  church 
than  that  of  ministerial  support.  The  fact 
that  the  church  has  moved  forward  and  that 
our  educational  system  has  advanced  with 
underpaid  leaders  is  no  argument  that  this 
condition  should  be  continued.  A  congrega¬ 
tion  which  promises  its  minister  a  certain  salary 
and  fails  to  pay  it,  not  only  robs  its  leader  but 
places  itself  in  the  class  of  those  who  do  not  pay 
their  bills. 

The  people  are  demanding  ministers  who  are 
men  of  high  spiritual  attainment;  resourceful 
and  tactful;  men  who  know  how  to  conduct 
themselves  socially;  men  who  are  not  only  able 
to  preach  but  who  can  serve  in  any  capacity  of 
public  life.  Of  course  the  preacher  does  not 
preach  for  money  but  he  must  have  money  to 
live.  The  lawyer,  doctor  and  merchant  collect 
their  own  accounts  but  upon  this  subject  the 
minister  must  be  silent.  His  salary  is  fixed  and 
collected  by  others. 

On  the  opposite  page  is  a  chart  setting  forth  a 
few  general  facts  concerning  ministerial  non¬ 
support.  These  figures  from  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  for  the  year  1918  were  used 
because  the  records  of  other  denominations 
were  not  available. 

Group  number  5  on  the  chart  shows  that  of  49 
per  cent,  of  the  pastorates  in  the  United  States, 
not  one  paid  as  much  as  $1,000  per  year  includ¬ 
ing  house  rent.  That  is,  8,285  churches  paid 
less  than  $1,000;  or,  considered  together,  they 
gave  toward  pastoral  support  an  average  of 
only  $543.  “How  do  these  men  live?”  This 
is  a  fair  question.  Congregations  sometimes 


give  donation  parties  for  their  pastors.  They 
provide  potatoes  and  apples  and  help  clothe  the 
children,  and  thus  ministers  are  looked  upon  as 
objects  of  charity  in  their  fields  of  labor. 

Church  leaders  who  object  to  these  statements 
must  face  the  fact  that  26  per  cent,  of  the 
churches  of  this  one  denomination  are  served 
by  supply  preachers. 

Group  number  4  shows  that  42  per  cent,  or 
6,986  churches,  pay  annual  salaries  ranging  from 
$1,000  to  $1,999  including  house  rent,  or  an 
average  of  $1,338.  The  total  average  for  groups 
numbers  4  and  5  is  $907.  This  accounts  for 
91  per  cent,  of  the  pastorates  of  Methodism. 

Group  number  3,  representing  7  per  cent,  of 
the  total,  pays  from  $2,000  to  $2,999. 

Group  number  2,  representing  a  little  more 
thpn  1  per  cent,  of  the  total,  pays  from  $3,000  to 
$3,999. 

Less  than  1  per  cent,  of  the  total,  or  108 
churches,  pay  a  salary  of  $4,000  or  more. 

The  tragedy  of  all  this  lies  in  the  fact  that  in  34 
years  the  average  per  capita  offering  as  made  by 
the  lay  membership  of  the  church  for  the 
ministry  has  increased  only  one  cent  per  week, 
and  this  in  the  face  of  unparalleled  financial 
prosperity. 

That  the  work  of  the  church  may  accomplish 
its  highest  mission  in  world  redemption,  the 
churches  of  America  are  now  engaged  in  a  great 
advance  movement.  The  success  of  this  work 
will  rest  very  largely  upon  the  leadership  of  the 
ministry,  the  men  upon  whom  we  must  depend 
for  the  permanency  of  the  campaign. 


TT  IS  never  contended  that  the  minister  should  have  the  best.  It  is  con- 
tend£cl  that  he  should  have  a  sufficiency  and  that  this  should  come  from 
the  worshipers  as  an  integral  part  cf  their  worship.  Was  not  the  Levitical 
portion  of  the  priests  the  right  shoulder  and  the  breast  of  the  peace  offering? 


ARE  PREACHERS  OVERPAID? 

METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 

MINISTERIAL  SUPPORT 

U.s.  ONLY 


FIFTH  CLASS- 
FOURTH 
THIRD 
SECOND 
FIRST 


u 


it 

tt 


-LESS  THAN  $ 1000-AVERAGE  $543 
]=$IOOO  TO  1999-  “  1338 

]=2000  «  2999-  «  2325 

1=3000  “  3999-  *'  3278 

=  4000  OR  ABOVE-  «  5055 


AVERAGE  OF  CLASSES  5  &  4  -UNDER  $2000-IS  907 

5*4  &  3  -  "  3000*“  1006 


ii 


tt 


49^.8285  CHARGES  ARE  IN  CLASS  5-NON-SUPPORT 
42%-.6986  “  “  "  "  4-WAGES 

7%-,  1 1 42  **  M  **  M  3-MODERATE 

l^+,  253  **  **  “  “  2-SUPPORT 

ttf-f  |08  '**  **  “  **  I  “SALARY 

MINISTERIAL  SUPPORT  ON  THIS  CHART  IS 
THE  CASH  PAID  TO  PASTORS.  INCLUDING  RENTAL 
VALUE  OF  PARSONAGES,  COMPILED  FROM  THE 
STATISTICAL  TABLES  OF  1918. 


iafcnurch  World  Movement  of  North  America  ■ 


16 

A  STATISTICAL  MIRROR 

V 

PER  CENT.  RECORD 

POPULATION-CHURCH  MEMBERSHIP  AND 
PER  CAPITA  WEALTH-CHURCH  OFFERINGS.  PRESBYTERIAN  (NORTH) 


tverctkrcfi  mrv  UCfemenl  cf  Horn  /Imnca _ _ _  g  q 


IN  A  STUDY  of  the  relations  between  church  membership  and  population  of  the  United 
States  and  between  per  capita  giving  and  per  capita  wealth  it  will  be  noted  that  while  the 
rate  of  membership  increase  outreaches  the  growth  in  population,  the  rate  of  giving  falls  far 
short  of  keeping  pace  with  the  increase  in  per  capita  wealth. 


A  STATISTICAL  MIRROR 


17 


PER  CENT.  RECORD 

POPULATION  -  CHURCH  MEMBERSHIP 
PER  CAPITA  WEALTH-CHURCH  OFFERINGS 
METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


1890 

PER  CAPITA  WEALTH  $1035 
iUNITED  STATES) 

MEMBERSHIP  2:064,437 
iMETHOOlST  EPISCOPAU  q 

POPULATION  62,622,250 

(UNITED  STATES) 

PER  CAPITA  GIVING  $1002 

IMETHOOlST  EPISCOPAL) 


125% 

100% 

75% 

50% 

25%  J 

25% 

50% 

• 

75% 

I00r. 

1917 

$2404  PER  CAPITA  WEALTH 
(UNITED  STATES) 


1918 

3,849,381  MEMBERSHIP 
(METHODIST  EPISCOPAU 

1918 

105,253,300  POPULATION 
(UNITED  STATES) 


1917 

$12.02  PER  CAPITA  GIVING 
•METHODIST  EPISCOPAU 


InrarcMOi  Wong  Hbvwwi)  ot  North  America 


6059 


THE  chart  for  Methodism  teaches  the  same  lesson  as  that  on  the  opposite  page.  It  must  be 
kept  in  mind  that  in  this  form  of  per  cent,  chart,  each  item  involved  has  a  common 
starting  point  and  the  per  cent,  advance  or  decline  is  calculated  from  the  original  base.  The  rate 
of  giving  should  more  than  keep  pace  with  the  increase  in  per  capita  wealth. 


18 


A  STATISTICAL  MIRROR 


Membership  and  Total  Church  Expenses 

Record  for  Fifteen  Years 


SEVENTH  DAY  ADVENTIST  CHURCH 

METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 

Year 

Membership 

Total 

Per  Capita 

Year 

Membership 

Total 

Per  Capita 

Inc.  Foreign 

Giving 

Giving 

Inc.  Foreign 

Giving 

Giving 

1904 

81,721 

856,714 

10.48 

1904 

2,781,589 

30,050,683 

10.80 

1905 

87,311 

1,180,918 

13.52 

1905 

2,832,899 

31,141,702 

10.99 

1906 

91,531 

1,394,362 

15.23 

1906 

2,903,163 

32,790,503 

11.29 

1907 

94,048 

1,704,718 

18.13 

1907 

2,960,474 

34,992,318 

11.82. 

1908 

97,579 

1,770,649 

18.14 

1908 

3,034,168 

35,010,113 

11  64 

1909 

100,931 

1,984,557 

19.66 

1909 

3,116,785 

35,164,588 

11  28 

1910 

104,526 

2,223,768 

21.27 

1910 

3,171,454 

36,902,121 

11.64 

1911 

108,975 

2,363,088 

21.68 

1911 

3,222,160 

38,924,541 

12.08 

1912 

114,206 

2,702,199 

23  66 

1912 

3,304,651 

31,788,741 

11  74 

1913 

122,386 

2,866,727 

n  <2 

1913 

3,406,470 

39,035,429 

11  46 

1914 

125,844 

3,090,4S5 

24.56 

1914 

3,536,123 

39,813,038 

11  26 

1915 

136,879 

3,407,298 

24.89 

1915 

3,620,470 

39,965,331 

11  04 

1916 

141,488 

3,950,492 

27  92 

1916 

3,724,188 

41,416,760 

11.12 

1917 

153,857 

5,119,683 

33  28 

1917 

3,844,155 

46,205,726 

3.2 .02 

1918 

162,667 

6,895,720 

42.39 

1918 

3,849,381 

47,074,301 

0.2 .23 

THE  above  statistical  items  are  better 
understood  when  studied  from  a  graph. 
The  red  figures  indicate  a  loss  over  the  record 
of  the  previous  year. 

The  1913  per  capita  loss  in  the  record  of  the 
Adventists  was  recovered  the  next  year,  whil,e 
it  required  three  years  for  Methodism  to  recover 
the  1908  per  capita  loss  and  the  per  capita  of 
1911  was  not  regained  until  1918. 

It  will  be  observed  that  the  per  capita  giving  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  during  the 
past  fifteen  years  has  remained  practically 
constant,  the  per  capita  for  1918  being  only 
slightly  in  advance  of  that  of  1904. 

The  record  of  the  Adventists,  slightly  below 
that  of  the  Methodists  in  1904,  shows  an  in¬ 
crease  each  year  except  in  1913,  and  in  1918  the 
per  capita  giving  is  more  than  four  times  their 
average  of  fifteen  years  ago. 

The  outstanding  lesson  of  the  Adventist  record 
is  to  be  found  in  the  teaching  and  practising 


of  the  tithe  as  a  regular  part  of  the  worship  or 
service  of  the  church. 

A  similar  statistical  record,  when  made  into  a 
graph,  can  be  used  in  a  very  practical  manner 
for  local  churches  or  for  other  denominations. 

It  is  commonly  known,  and  not  to  their  discredit, 
that  the  Seventh  Day  Adventists  are  not  rich 
as  a  church.  Their  membership  is  made  up 
very  largely  from  the  great  middle  class.  Hence 
their  per  capita  wealth  and  consequent  income 
would  hardly  measure  up  to  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church.  No  invidious  comparison 
is  here  intended  but  an  attempt  to  get  at  the 
facts.  What  is  the  truth?  Look  at  the  graph. 
If  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  had  given 
as  much  per  capita  for  all  church  expenses  as  the 
Seventh  Day  Adventists  gave,  she  would  have 
paid  $163,175,261  in  a  single  year  instead  of 
the  $47,074,301,  or  enough  to  take  care  of  all 
her  church  expenses  and  $116,100,960  to.  apply 
on  her  Centenary  subscription,  thus  paying  in 
a  single  year  the  whole  five-year  quota. 


A  STATISTICAL  MIRROR 


20 


Forward  Movements 


THE  church  has  never  been  without  some 
outstanding  leaders  who  have  been  calling 
it  into  action  but  their  attempts  to  awaken 
the  church  to  its  full  sense  of  responsi¬ 
bility  have  been  limited  to  their  personal  mag¬ 
netic  touch  or  to  their  own  denomination. 
Now  for  the  first  time  in  the  history  of  the 
modern  church  the  day  is  at  hand  when  the 
entire  Christian  body  is  entering  into  a  united 
forward  movement,  not  confining  its  efforts 
to  the  conquest  of  the  world  abroad  but  also 
engaging  in  building  a  more  permanent  religious 
structure  at  the  home  base. 

In  its  efforts  to  maintain  the  new  level  reached 
in  its  forward  movements  the  church  must  of 
necessity  readjust  its  entire  system  of  work. 

The  program  of  church  activity  is  being  greatly 
enlarged;  the  vision  of  the  membership  widened; 
and  their  responsibilities  and  obligations  in¬ 
creased. 

This  new  age  now  being  ushered  in  will  develop 
and  bring  to  perfection  at  least  three  things: 

First.  The  survey  now  being  made  will  give  to 
the  church  a  new  conception  of  the  world’s 
needs.  It  is  positively  appalling  when  one 
thinks  of  the  poverty,  the  ignorance  and  the 
sin  of  great  masses  of  people:  whole  races 
that,  after  nineteen  hundred  years  of  Christian¬ 
ity,  are  still  without  any  knowledge  of  God  or 
of  saving  grace.  This  is  an  awful  indictment 
against  the  professed  followers  of  Christ  who 
through  the  centuries  have  held  the  truth  but 
have  not  given  it  to  the  whole  world. 

Second.  The  new  age  will  give  rise  to  a  new 
appreciation  of  world  brotherhood. 


The  World  War  is  now  over  and  the  door  to 
opportunity  was  never  more  widely  open. 
Christian  people  cannot  longer  look  upon  the 
world’s  needs  and  pass  by  on  the  other  side. 
That  procedure  has  been  condemned  for  all 
time. 

The  world  has  now  been  reduced  to  a  neighbor- 
hoodi  and  my  nearest  neighbor  is  not  necessarily 
the  man  who  lives  next  door,  but  rather  the 
man,  whoever  he  is  and  wherever  he  lives,  who 
most  needs  me — he  is  my  nearest  neighbor. 

Third.  The  new  age  will  relate  the  entire 
church  and  its  membership  to  the  world 
program. 

More  than  twenty  of  the  denominations  or 
religious  bodies  of  our  awakening  American 
Christianity  have  already  entered  into  en¬ 
larged  programs  of  missionary  activity. 

War  drives  for  world  freedom  are  passing  into 
Christian  drives  for  world  redemption. 

We  were  startled  by  the  amount  of  money  called 
for  that  we  might  take  our  part  in  the  world 
struggle  and  now  some  of  our  churches  and 
people  are  wondering  if  we  are  not  undertaking 
too  much;  but  the  world  is  stricken  and  millions 
are  starving.  Disease  and  sin  await  the  breath 
of  Christian  life.  It  was  never  so  before.  The 
challenge  never  went  out  to  the  church  in  more 
unmistakable  terms.  It  is  God,  not  man,  who 
is  calling  the  church  into  action. 

The  Christian  body  or  individual  member  that 
fails  to  answer  the  call  in  this  hour  of  the  world’s 
most  dire  distress  and  fails  to  relate  itself  as  a 
body  or  himself  as  an  individual  to  world  re¬ 
demption  is  guilty  before  God  and  man. 


FORWARD!!  The  key  note  of  the  new  world  order !  The  call  for  an  advance 
all  along  the  line  is  clear  and  unmistakable.  Upon  us  of  today  rests  the 
high  privilege  of  shaping  the  destiny  of  the  church  and,  through  her,  shaping 
the  destiny  of  mankind. 


A  STATISTICAL  MIRROR 


21 


OFFERINGS  AND  PLEDGES 

PRESBYTERIAN,  BAPTIST,  METHODIST 
PAST  AND  FUTURE 


$6.18' 


4.85 


3.89 


2.26 


.898 


mterchurch  torkj  Movement  of  North  America 


CM/40 


IN  THE  above  graph  the  term  Presbyterian  applies  to  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  the 
U.  S.  A.;  Baptist,  to  the  Northern  Baptist  Convention;  and  Methodist,  to  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church.  The  Presbyterian  and  Methodist  benevolent  lines  date  back  to  1859  and, 
for  lack  of  comparative  information,  the  Baptist  to  1894. 


The  perpendicular  broken  lines  show  the  lift  of  the  per  capita  pledge  of  the  forward  movements 
of  the  churches  represented ;  the  upper  mark  indicating  the  plane  upon  which  the  churches  are  to 
move  hereafter  in  their  benevolent  activities.  These  are  great  increases  only  in  the  light  of 
advancing  from  very  low  per  capitas  to  moderate  standards  of  giving. 


A  STATISTICAL  MIRROR 


22 


One  Billion  Dollars  Per  Year 

for  Advanced  Christian  Work 


ONE  billion  dollars  was  selected  without 
reference  to  the  Interchurch  world  sur¬ 
vey  which  is  being  made.  No  one  knows  that 
this  large  sum  in  any  sense  represents  the 
amount  needed.  It  was  selected  to  show  that 
thoroughly  organized  Protestantism,  with  each 
member  contributing,  could  raise  this  amount 
without  special  effort. 

As  applied  to  the  work  of  the  church  this  seems 
beyond  the  range  of  the  possible  and  especially 
in  the  light  of  what  the  church  has  done  in 
former  years. 

Prior  to  the  world  war  we  could  not  have  con¬ 
sidered  this  seriously,  but  today  the  world’s 
needs  are  so  appalling  and  our  prosperity  so 
great,  that  a  billion  dollars  in  a  single  year  of 
time  from  the  Protestant  Christian  membership 
of  our  favored  country  is  altogether  within  the 
range  of  the  possible.  Never  in  the  history  of 
the  human  family  has  the  field  been  so  white 
unto  the  harvest:  never  before  has  the  ability 
to  give  vast  sums  been  so  apparent. 

Last  year  the  Protestant  churches  of  the  United 
States  reported  $249,778,535,  or  the  tithe  of 
27  cents  per  day,  expended  for  local  and  benevo¬ 
lent  work.  As  a  total  figure  this  is  a  very  large 
sum  but  when  looked  upon  from  the  stand¬ 
point  of  an  individual  offering,  2  cents  7  mills 
per  member  per  day  is  scarcely  worthy  of  being 
considered  an  offering,  nor  even  a  tithe. 

The  giving  of  Protestantism  in  1918  is  repre¬ 
sented  by  the  darker  section  of  the  chart.  If 
the  entire  Protestant  church  reached  the  aver¬ 
age  of  the  Northern  Baptist  Convention,  3  cents 
3  mills  per  day,  there  would  be  $47,875,515 
above  the  total  giving  of  last  year  for  advance 


work.  This  is  shown  by  the  lighter  section  of 
the  Baptist  column. 

If  the  Methodist  per  capita  standard  of  3  cents 
4  mills  per  day  were  reached  by  all  of  Pro¬ 
testantism  the  margin  would  be  $56,413,539. 

If  the  Protestant  church  could  be  lifted  to  the 
standard  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  5  cents 
6  mills  per  day,  there  would  be  a  margin  of 
$259,122,758. 

If  the  Protestant  membership  could  be  lifted 
to  the  per  capita  standard  of  the  Seventh  Day 
Adventists,  11  cents  6  mills  per  day,  last  year’s 
giving  would  be  maintained  and  there  would 
remain  for  the  new  work  $811,615,547.  This 
church  advocates  and  its  members  practise 
tithing. 

It  is  an  amazing  statement  that  the  tithe  of 
$1.37  per  day,  or  13  cents  7  mills  from  each 
member  of  the  Protestant  churches  of  our  coun¬ 
try,  would  maintain  all  church  expenses  as 
per  last  year  and  provide  for  the  world’s  need 
in  new  work  the  colossal  sum  of  one  billion 
dollars! 

The  full  tithe  from  each  member  as  a  minimum 
and  an  offering  according  to  our  ability  will 
hasten  the  day  of  world  redemption. 

If  the  next  great  revival  throughout  the  church 
could  be  in  the  deepening  of  the  consciousness 
of  personal  responsibility  to  God  and  the  sense 
of  obligation  deepened  concerning  the  world’s 
need,  and  if  the  church  through  its  entire 
membership  were  awakened,  a  billion  dollars  per 
year  would  be  a  very  small  amount  of  money  to 
raise  and  the  church  would  be  established  upon 
a  more  permanent  basis. 


THE  practise  of  Christian  stewardship  is  one  of  the  fine  arts.  Skillful 
execution  of  this  virtue  requires  persistent  and  painstaking  endeavor,  for 
it  is  more  difficult  to  give  than  it  is  to  gain.  But  he  who  practises  a  consecrated 
stewardship  owns  kingdoms  in  the  far  corners  of  the  earth. 


A  STATISTICAL  MIRROR 


ONE  BILLION  DOLLARS 

PER  YEAR 

FOR  ADVANCE  WORK 
WITHIN  REACH  OF  PROTESTANTISM 


$1,000,000,000 


$1,000,000,000 


$800,000,000. 


$600,000,000 


$400,000,000. 


$200,000,000. 


1918 

CONTRIBUTION 
OF  PROTESTANTISM 
FOR  ALL  CHURCH 
PURPOSES 
$249,778,535 


ALU  ABOVE  THIS  LINE' 
REPRESENTS  POSSIBLE 
ADVANCE  WORK 


THE  CHURCH 
COST  EACH  MEMBER 
2  CENTS  7  MILLS 
PER  DAY 

FOR  ALL  PURPOSES 
10CAL  &  BENEVOLENT  r 


Northern  Methodist '  Presbyterian  Seventh  Protestantism's 

Baptist  Episcopal  U.  S.  A.  Day  Possibilities 

Convention  Adventist  ( 

DAILY  PER  CAPITA  .003  .034  .056  .116  .137 

IF  PROTESTANTISM  COULD  BE  LIFTED  TO  A  STANDARD  OF  13  CENTS  7  MILLS  PER  MEMBER 
PER  DAY,  WE  COULD  MAINTAIN  LAST  YEAR’S  WORK  WITH  A  ONE  BILLION  DOLLAR  MARGIN 


A  STATISTICAL  MIRROR 


24 


The  Latent  Church 


THE  chart  on  the  opposite  page  is  intended  to 
show  a  condition  which  cannot  be  discov ered 
from  the  printed  record  of  the  pastoral  charge. 

This  is  a  condition  which  can  only  be  brought 
to  light  by  the  study  of  the  local  church  treas¬ 
urer’s  record. 

From  a  study  of  the  chart  by  the.  aid  of  the  key 
it  will  be  observed  that  a  very  small  number 
of  the  members  are  contributors;  and  that  a  still 
smaller  number  contribute  to  the  benevolent 
work  of  the  church,  each  contributing  family 
being  represented  by  but  one  member. 

This  condition  robs  the  local  church  of  its  right¬ 
ful  place  in  a  community  and  makes  its  per 
capita  standing  abnormally  low 

A  church  of  this  kind  carries  unpaid  bills,  fails 
adequately  to  support  its  pastor,  and  disre¬ 
gards  its  benevolent  obligations. 

The  church  property  is  usually  in  bad  repair 

The  membership  roll  is  carelessly  kept. 

The  Sunday  school  and  young  people’s  societies 
are  below  standard. 

This  condition  and  more  can  be  accounted  for 
by  the  large  number  of  inactive  or  unrelated 
members. 


The  hope  of  the  church  at  the  home  base  lies 
in  the  utilizing  of  this  latent  membership. 

There  can  be  no  great  permanent  forward 
movement  in  all  the  church  until  all  the 
churches  come  to  realize  that  they  must  use 
their  entire  membership  in  the  work  of  the 
kingdom. 

This  chart  was  prepared  as  a  suggested  form 
for  the  use  of  pastors  or  church  workers,  with 
the  hope  that  the  actual  record  of  charges  will 
be  made  on  paper  or  canvas  sufficiently  large 
to  be'seen  by  the  congregation,  and  used  for  the 
purpose  of  bringing  before  the  membership  the 
relation  of  each  member  to  the  financial  work 
of  the  church. 

When  the  condition  has  been  set  before  the 
people  they  must  be  given  a  program  to  follow; 
the  non-contributing  member  is  seldom  in¬ 
terested  in  the  work  of  the  church. 

We  have  reached  a  time  in  the  movement  of 
the  church  when  each  pastor  must  feel  the 
responsibility  of  enlisting  the  last  man,  woman 
and  child  in  the  active  work  of  the  church,  for 
their  own  sakes,  for  the  strengthening  of  the 
local  church  and  for  the  advancing  of  the  king¬ 
dom  at  large. 


UPON  an  examination  of  the  actual  records  of  individual  pastoral  charges, 
it  is  observed  that  in  many  cases  a  very  small  per  cent,  of  the  enrolled 
membership  is  actually  related  to  the  financial  program  as  applied  to  the 
conquest  of  the  world. 

There  is  no  more  important  work  before  the  church  than  that  of  relating  the 
entire  membership  to  the  whole  program  of  the  Christian  church. 

The  first  step  toward  this  end  is  that. the  membership  become  acquainted 
with  its  own  record. 

The  evangelization  of  the  world  would  not  be  very  far  distant  if  all  members 
of  Christian  churches  were  awake  to  a  full  sense  of  their  responsibility 


AN  UNRELATED  MEMBERSHIP 


\ 

X 

\ 

X 

\ 

X 

X 

\ 

V 

\ 

\ 

X 

\ 

X 

\ 

X 

\ 

X 

X 

\ 

X 

\ 

X 

\ 

X 

\ 

\ 

\ 

X 

\ 

X 

\ 

\ 

X 

\ 

X 

IX 

\ 

X  ■ 

\ 

X 

\ 

X 

\ 

X 

\ 

X 

\ 

X 

\ 

X 

\ 

\ 

\ 

X 

\ 

X 

\ 

X 

\ 

\ 

\ 

X 

\ 

X 

\ 

X 

\ 

X 

\ 

X 

\ 

X 

\ 

/ 

X 

\ 

\ 

\ 

\ 

X 

\ 

X 

\ 

X 

\ 

X 

\ 

X 

\ 

X 

\ 

X 

\ 

X 

\ 

• 

h- 

_ 

|  |  =  One  Member  Group  of  Squares  -  A  Family 

\  =  Contribution  to  Local  Church 


/  =  Contribution  to  Benevolences 
X s  Contribution  to  both  Local  Church  and  Benevolences 

Ct>60 


Inter  church  World  Movement  of  North  Amer/co 


A  STATISTICAL  MIRROR 


26 


The  Developed  Church 


THE  church  represented  by  the  chart  on  the 
opposite  page  is  the  same  church  as  ap¬ 
peared  on  the  preceding  page,  with  572  members, 
but  with  this  vital  difference:  here  the  church 
is  represented  as  being  unanimous  in  its  sup¬ 
port  of  church  activity  and  life. 

It  pays  its  ministers  a  living  compensation. 

The  property  is  kept  in  good  repair. 

Its  bills  are  all  paid  promptly. 

The  credit  of  the  minister  and  the  church  is 
A  No.  1. 

This  church  has  an  interest  in  world  redemption. 

I 

It  furnishes  its  quota  of  young  men  and  women 
for  the  ministry  and  missionary  work. 

The  minister  is  recognized  in  the  community 
as  a  leader  not  only  in  his  own  church  but  in  the 
town  where  the  church  is  located. 

The  church  also  is  a  factor  in  the  community 
life  and  its  influence  is  felt  around  the  world. 

The  chief  reason  for  all  this  is  the  fact  that  the 
entire  membership  is  organized  for  work  at 
home  and  abroad. 

Each  family  has  a  part. 

Each  member  in  each  family  is  financially 
related  to  the  church. 

Each  member  contributes  to  both  local  and 


benevolent  work;  hence  their  interest  in  the 
same. 

“Where  your  treasure  is  there  will  your  heart  be 
also.” 

An  accurate  membership  roll  is  kept. 

The  treasurer  really  and  truly  “keeps  books.” 

There  is  a  wide  awake  Sunday  school  and  the 
young  people’s  societies  are  attractive  and 
helpful. 

Baptisms  are  frequent  and  there  is  a  constant 
procession  into  church  membership.  Here  the 
stranger  feels  at  home  and  having  once  attended 
the  services  returns  again  and  again. 

These  charts  are  given  to  suggest  conditions 
which  exist  back  of  any  statistical  record  of  the 
church. 

A  minister  or  church  official  making  a  like  chart 
and  checking  the  same  carefully  and  accurately, 
after  consulting  the  treasurer’s  books  and 
making  a  copy  large  enough  for  use  in  the  public 
congregation,  will  be  able  to  set  before  his  people 
information  such  as  will  prove  helpful  in  enlist¬ 
ing  a  larger  percentage  of  the  members  in  the 
vital  work  of  the  church. 

The  full  execution  of  the  Interchurch  World 
Movement’s  program  is  dependent  upon  the 
complete  organization  of  the  membership  of 
each  local  congregation. 


IF  THE  organization  of  the  entire  church  in  each  of  its  local 
congregations  were  perfected,  so  as  to  relate  each  family 
and  each  member  to  the  work  of  the  kingdom,  one  and  a 
quarter  billion  dollars  would  be  a  very  moderate  annual  offer¬ 
ing  from  the  members  of  the  Protestant  Christian  churches 
of  the  United  States. 


A  RELATED  MEMBERSHIP 


xxx 

x  XX 

xxx 

x'x  X 

X  XX 

xxx 

X  X 

X  X 

XXX 

XXX 

xxx 

XX  X 

X  X  X 

xxx 

X  X 

X  X 

x  x 

X  X 

X  X 

XX 

x  x 

x  x 

X  X 

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X  X 

X  X 

X  X 

X 

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X  X 

XX 

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XX 

X  X 

X  X 

X  X 

X  X 

X  X 

X  X 

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xxx 

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X  X  X 

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x 

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xxx 

xxx 

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X 

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XXX 

X 

X 

X 

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X  X 

X  X 

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X  X 

X  X 

X  x 

X  X 

XX 

x  x 

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xx 

x,x 

X  X 

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X  X 

X  X 

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X  x 

X  x 

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XX 

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X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

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X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

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X 

X 

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X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

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X 

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X 

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X 

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xx 

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x|X 

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X  X 

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X 

X 

X 

X 

X  x 

X  x 

X 

X 

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X 

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X  X 

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X  x 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

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X 

xxx 

XXX 

X  x 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

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XX 

XX 

I  |  =  One  Member  Group  of  Squares  =  A  Family 
X  s  Contribution  to  both  Local  Expenses  and  Benevolences 


Merck urch  florid  Mortmenf  of  North  America  CDS! 


Methodist 

RECORD  OF  THE  WHOLE  CHURCH,  1 

1915-1918  OUR  BE 

Episcc 

INCLUDING 

ST  QUAE 

)PAL 

FOREIGN 

(RENNIUh 

CONFEREE 

1 

ICES 

Comparative  Board  Record 

1919 

19  18 

1917 

1916 

19  15 

INCREASE  or 

DECREASE  . 

.  t  Church  . 

Board  of  Foreign  Minion*  j  ^  5^^ 

Board  of  Home  Minion*  \  Church  . 
and  Church  Exteniion  J  S.  School 

1.068,092 

940,875 

841,937 

807,546 

260,546 

358,295 

331,455 

323,024 

307.683 

50.612 

873,911 

756,654 

675,893 

636,421 

237,490 

321.434 

299,891 

293.961 

282601 

38,833 

187,838 

160,873 

145,685 

138,053 

49,785 

301,511 

252,923 

138,501 

116,962 

184,549 

.  .  ,  .  \  Church  . 

Board  of  Sunday  School*  j  ^  School 

84,320 

72,116 

55,780 

52,617 

31.703 

96,204 

91,435 

82,220 

77,638 

18,566 

70,388 

67,829 

46,810 

44,258 

26.130 

Board  of  Temperance,  Etc. . 

General  Dea cones*  Board. 

67,199 

48,956 

33,983 

28,959 

38,240 

28,685 

22,097 

— 

— 

28,685 

3,457,877 

3,045,104 

2,637,794 

2.492,738 

965,139 

Woman’s  Societies,  Etc. 

Children’*  Day  Fund  - . . 

Conference  Claimant*  (Chicago)  .  •  •  • 
Woman’*  Foreign  Minionary  Society. 
Woman’*  Home  Minionary  Society  . 
Total  Woman’*  Societies,  Etc.' . . 

107,559 

96,616 

85,335 

83,863 

23.696 

— 

— 

15,470 

15,243 

15.243 

1,157.715 

1,045,791 

935,037 

822,728 

334.987 

825,007 

789,143 

628,975 

528,823 

296,184 

2,090,281 

1,931,550 

1,664,817 

I.4S0.65  r 

639,624 

Comparative  Statistical  Record 

3.849,381 

3,844,155 

3.724,188 

3,620,470 

228,911 

249,587,835 

241,846,366 

231,813,830 

226,664,223 

22,923,612 

Total  Mini»terial  Support . 

Total  Ditciplinary  Benevolence*  .... 

20,418,110 

19,483,212 

18,644,264 

18,111,388 

2,306,722 

5,548.158 

4,976.654 

4,302,611 

3,943,395 

1,604,763 

A.  uJ  £>«'•“•  c«i 

/nferchurch  World  Movement  yf  North  An 

lima  CMBptni  1915  tnJ  1918. 

nnc& 

GO  2/7 

Presbyterian  Church  inU.SA 

1916-1919 


Comparative  Statistical  Record 

19  2  0 

19  19 

19  18 

19  17 

19  16 

INCREASE^ 

liiSrBi.ASfe-  ■■ 

Board  of  Home  Miuioni  «•*•#»*#*  *■< 

Board  of  Foreign  Minion* . . 

2  213924 

2  268  925 

2 194147 

2  OOO  614 

213310 

2  074  670 

2 131 387 

2  055  313 

I  73 8  02* 

336  645 

General  Board  of  Education,  Etc. .... 

Board  of  Publication 

and  Sunday  School  w>rk •••••< 

Board  of  Church  Erection  ..•••»•* 

Board  of  Ministerial  Relief 

and  Sustentation  •«*•••;*<• 

787  472 

699  346 

826 403 

-.741  333-- 

46134 

236140 

223  012 

235  920 

202  163 

33  077 

179  200 

187064 

1  74  523 

148  424 

30  776 

290  393 

321  507 

426125 

311443 

21  050 

200  701 

186  963 

191 169 

188  979 

11  722 

Board  of  Temperance,  Etc. . 

254  332 

242666 

217576 

191  326 

63  006 

Total  CoDectioo*  for  Benevolences . . 

Local  Church  Support . 

Local  Miscellaneous  Expense . 

Total  Collection*  for  Local  Work. . . 

Full  Membership  Church . 

Sunday  School  Memberthip . 

6  236  832 

6  260  870 

6  321  176 

5  522  312 

714  520 

21 097 175 

21  682102 

21468345 

20  101 322 

905  853 

5  248  595 

4  985  776 

3  235  865 

2  295  985 

2  052  610 

26  345  770 

26  667  878 

24  703  210 

22  397  307 

3  048463 

1  603  033 

1  631  748 

1 604045 

1  560  009 

43  024 

1  319  416 

1  386  926 

1  455  466 

1  412  387 

02  971 

Tbe  lacr««*«  *®d  Deere***  Column  o 

191**1)4  191* 

fnterchorch  World  Movement  of  North  America 


0.IX2I7 


A  STATISTICAL  MIRROR 


29 


Methodist  episcopal 
Record  of  the  whole  Church,  including  foreign  conferences 

I9!l  -- 1914  _ 


Comparative  Board  Record 

19  15 

19  14 

19  13 

19  12 

19  11 

INCREASE  or 

DECREASE 

Board  of  Foreign  Missions  j  ^  School 

Board  of  Home  Missions  j  Church  . 
and  Church  Extenders  \  S.  School 

784  .387 

789  277 

764  540 

762  659 

21  728 

313  958 

305  102 

308416 

307398 

6560 

026  124 

636  071 

614185 

613  578 

12546 

287333 

282  613 

286 131 

284  457 

2  876 

136  486 

1  35  932 

1 25  189 

130  357 

6  129 

Public  Eduction . 

57  945 

49  705 

66  361 

53  759 

4  186 

Board  of  Sunday  School*  j  ^  School 

American  Bible  Society . 

Board  of  Temperance,  Etc, . . 

50  574 

52  264 

50932 

52  101 

1527 

73  199 

64  403 

32167 

26  331 

46  868 

44  059 

38  738 

34  704 

40  975 

3  084 

26619 

19971 

— 

— 

26  619 

General  Deaconess  Board. . . . 

_ 

— 

— 

— 

— 

Total  Apportioned  Collections. . . 

2  400  684 

2  374  076 

2  282 625 

2  271  615 

129  069 

Woman’s  Societies,  Etc. 
Children’*  Day  Fund . 

83  609 

87  438 

80453 

.77  028 

6  581 

Conference  Claimants  (Chicago)  .  •  •  * 
Woman’*  Foreign  Missionary  Society . 
Woman’s  Home  Missionary  Society  . 
Total  Woman’*  Societies,  Etc. . . . 

17448 

24  941 

29442 

31  522 

14  074 

818873 

785  248 

760658 

720 146 

98  727 

546  854 

588 826 

460133 

434499 

112355 

t  466  784 

1  486  453 

1  3  30686 

1  263  195 

203  589 

Comparative  Statistical  Record 

Full  Members *«**«•••••••*••••«• 

Net  Property  •••••v******** •»•••• 

Total  Ministerial  Support . . . . . 

5  536  023 

3  406  470 

3304  651 

3  222 160 

313  863 

221  596  219 

215  982  740 

209  850  454 

205  664  880 

15  931  339 

17  826  376 

17338  536 

16  835  179 

16  378  709 

1  447  667 

3  867  468 

3  860  529 

3613  311 

3&34810 

332  658 

"fb*  lacr£uo  D«ct«4m  Column  cccnporoo  I9H  s-d  1914^ R®d  indicate  Iom  ove,  preriou.  year. 


/n'erchurch  World  Movement  oT  North  America_ CD. 217 


Clearing  Up  the  Record 


THE  above  chart  sets  forth  in  color  (red 
figures  indicating  a  loss  over  the  previous 
year)  a  statistical  record  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  for  the  quadrennium  ending 
in  1914,  before  any  systematic  plan  was  adopted 
to  clear  up  the  record,  charge  by  charge. 

The'  element  of  uncertainty  shown  by  the  red 
figures,  or  downpulls,  is  evident  each  year. 
When  red  appears  in  total  figures,  it  indi¬ 
cates  that  downpulls  in  the  smaller  units  are 
frequent. 

The  chart  at  the  top  of  the  opposite  page  shows 
the  record  clearing  up.  This  was  by  no  means 
an  accident.  The  increase  in  membership  is 
less  than  that  on  the  above  chart  while  the 
increase  in  total  collections  was  $1,272,105 


greater,  the  major  part  of  this  increase  having 
been  made  by  the  charges  which  cooperated  in 
the  system  set  forth  in  these  pages. 

The  record  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  should 
be  studied  in  its  relation  to  the  chart  under  the 
caption  “Presbyterian,  Baptist,  Methodist, 
Past  and  Future, ”  where  the  marked  up  and 
down  movements  of  the  Presbyterian  benevo¬ 
lence  record  may  be  observed.  We  are  endeavor¬ 
ing  to  set  forth  the  principle  of  a  continued 
forward  movement  on  the  part  of  the  entire 
religious  body. 

The  smaller  units,  or  local  churches  must  study 
their  individual  records  and  clear  them  up 
before  we  can  hope  for  a  permanent  advance 
from  the  larger  group. 


30 


A  STATISTICAL  MIRROR 


Benevolence  Offerings  Per  Member 


DAILY  PARTICIPATION 

THE  record  of  the  Copper  Hill  Church 
printed  on  the  opposite  page  is  that  of  a 
small  church  having  but  51  members  with  very 
moderate  church  and  parsonage,  and  paying  a 
small  amount  for  ministerial  support. 

A  year  ago  the  church  paid  $39  for  disciplinary 
benevolent  collections  while  this  year  $260  was 
paid. 

Charts  of  similar  form  were  used  in  this  entire 
district  last  year. 

If  $260  seems  a  large  amount  for  benevolence 
offerings  it  should  not  be  overlooked  that  this 
is  but  1  cent  4  mills  per  member  per  day,  or  the 
tithe  of  an  income  of  14  cents;  and  that  a  tithe 
of  43  cents  per  day  would  pay  the  benevolences 
and  ministerial  support. 

GIVING  BY  THE  WEEK 

ECORD  charts  were  used  a  year  ago  by 
the  charges  of  the  Oneonta  District. 

The  per  capita  giving  of  the  Hartwick-Hyde 
Park  charge  while  showing  a  fine  advance  was 
not  large  enough  to  be  reckoned  by  the  day. 

Two  cents  5  mills  per  member  per  week  paid 
this  marked  .increase. 

An  unusual  feature  of  this  record  is  a  loss  in  the 
amount  paid  to  one  of  the  woman’s  missionary 
societies,  the  fall  being  from  $54  to  $31. 


BY  THE  MONTH 

ECORD  charts  were  not  used  in  this 
church.  While  there  were  substantial 
increases  in  membership,  property  and  minis¬ 
terial  support  there  was  but  one  dollar  increase 
for  benevolences. 

The  benevolence  return  of  this  charge  could  not 
be  stated  by  the  day  nor  by  the  week  in  Ameri¬ 
can  coin,  the  members  having  averaged  but  1 
cent  1  mill  per  month,  or  the  tithe  of  an  income 
of  11  cents  in  30  days  of  time. 

The  seriousness  of  this  is  that  there  are  thou¬ 
sands  upon  thousands  of  such  churches. 

ANNUAL  PAYMENTS 

F  COURSE  this  charge  has  not  seen  its 
own  record.  Like  many  others  it  is  on 
the  down  grade.  Red  lights  are  flashing  all 
along  the  line. 

We  can  not  hope  for  a  strong  church  at  the  home 
base  when  recordsof  this  kind  impede  its  progress. 

In  this  charge  the  per  capita  offering  can  be 
expressed  only  by  the  year.  A  tithe  of  an  in¬ 
come  of  69  cents  per  member  per  year  paid  the 
benevolence  offering. 

Had  the  ministerial  support  been  tithed  for  the 
regular  benevolent  work  of  the  church  the 
charge  would  have  paid  twelve  times  as  much 
as  the  amount  reported  without  a  single  mem¬ 
ber  having  contributed. 


AN  ANALYSIS  of  the  record  is  the  first  step  toward  a  forward 
movement. 

Charts  setting  forth  the  actual  records  of  congregations,  when  used  by  pas¬ 
tors  or  other  church  officials,  have  never  failed  to  awaken  a  new  interest. 

It  is  seldom  that  a  membership,  when  face  to  face  with  its  tecord,  on  a 
daily  participation  basis  does  not  awaken  to  a  keener  sense  of  its  world 
obligations. 


Centenary  Record  Chart 


Conference  NEW  YORK  'BAST 
rH»fWr+  NEW  HAVEN _ 


Charge  - 


COPPER  HILL 


Comparative  Board  Record 

1920 

1919 

1918 

DAILY  PARTICIPATION 

Board  of  Foreign  Mission*  | 

Board  of  Home  Mission*  \  Church  . 
and  Church  Extension  j  S.  School 

Freedmen’s  Aid  Society. . 

Public  Education . . 

Board  of  Sunday  Schools  j  ^School 

American  Bible  Society. . . 

Board  of  Temperance,  Etc. . 

General  Deaconess  Board . 

'Total  Apportioned  Boards. . ' 

10  8 

1  8 

The  offering  per  member  for  the 

Centenary  and  Apportioned  Boards 

fday 

wna  1  rs»nf«  4  mill*  rw>r!w*k 

1  3 

0 

10  8 

1  5 

1  3 

4 

0 

3 

4 

0 

d 

4 

1 

0 

or  the  tithe  of  an  income  of 

dollar!  X._4_centa  per  D  A  Y . 

2 

2 

1 

— 

2  6  0 

nr~ 

|  Woman’s  Societies,  Etc. 

1  Children’s  Day  Fund . 

Woman’s  Foreign  Missionary  Society. 
Woman’s  Home  Missionary  Society  . . 
Total  Woman's  Societies,  Etc. . . . 

5 

5 

The  increasing  needs  of  the  world  call  for 

substantial  increases  in  offerings  and  the 

FORWARD  MOVEMENT 

0 

0 

0 

o 

5 

Comparative  Statistical  Record 

Full  Members . . . ....... 

Net  Property . . 

Total  Ministerial  Support . . 

Total  Disciplinary  Benevolence* . 

5  1 

5  0 

5  0  0  0 

5  0  0  0 

ALL  ALONG  THE  LINE 

3  3  5 

5,2.4- 

2  6  5 

4  4 

AB  Annual  Per  Capita 

5  .0  9  8 

7  8 

*AB  includes  Centenary,  NWar  Reconstruction  and  Apportioned  Boards. 


friterchurch  ti/orlcf  Movement  of  North  America 


JUd  firm  fcadkAte  loss  mf  Um  prerwaa  Tmi. 


C  D.  2/7 


Centenary  Record  Chart 

Conference  WYOMING _ 


District   oneonta  ra-y.  HARTWICK  -  HYDE  PARK 


Comparative  Board  Record 

1920 

1919 

1918 

DAILY  PARTICIPATION 

Board  of  Foreign  Missions  j  J 

( S.  School 

8  6 

1  8 

2  0 

1  0 

The  offering  per  member  for  the 

Board  of  Home  Missions  1  Church  . 

4  0 

1  3 

and  Church  Extension  j  S.  School 

2  0 

9 

Centenary  and  Apportioned  Boards 

Freedmen's  Aid  Society. . . 

1  0 

8 

Public  Education  . . . . 

1  9 

ft 

Mep. 

Board  of  Sunday  Schools  j 

1 S.  School 

5 

5 

was  _ 2_cents - 5_miDs  per  (week 

t  (month 

7 

7 

American  Bible  Society. . . . . 

3 

or  the  tithe  of  an  income  of 

Board  of  Temperance,  Etc . . . 

3 

2 

General  Deaconess  Board. ,  . . 

1 

1 

_ dollars  2  5  cents  perWEEli 

'Total  Apportioned  Boards. . 

2  14 

8  0 

Woman's  Societies,  Etc. 
Children’s  Day  Fund . . . 

5 

5 

The  increasing  needs  of  the  world  call  for 

Woman’s  Foreign  Missionary  Society . 

Woman's  Home  Missionary  Society  . . 

3  1 

5  4 

substantial  increases  in  offerings  and  the 

Total  Woman's  Societies,  Etc. . . . 

IT 

5  9 

Comparative  Statistical  Record 

16  5 

1  7  4 

FORWARD  MOVEMENT 

6  5  0  0 

6  5  0  0 

10  3  7 

9  4  1 

AIL  ALONG  THE  LINE 

|  Total  Disciplinary  Benevolence! . . , . . 

2  5  0 

1  3  9 

AB  Annual  Per  Capita 

1.296 

*AB  include*  Centenary,  War  Reconstruction  and  Apportioned  Boards.  fi*w“  udk*“  u«  mr  o»  w''"* 

tnfercfHjrch  World  Movement  of  ~Worth  America  _ _ 


CD  217 


Conference  CENTRAL  ILLINOIS 
District  PEORIA - 


Centenary  Record  Chart 

0  LA  S  FORD 


Charge- 


Comparative  Board  Record 


19  19 


1  91  8 


19  17 


DAILY  PARTICIPATION 


A 


!  Church  . 
&  School 

Board  of  Homo  Missions  \  Church  . 
end  Church  Extension  j  S.  School 

Freedroen’e  Aid  Society. .......  <3  >  • 

Public  Education'. . . . . .  1 1» . .  • 


0 


1  2 

— <T 


0 


0 


JL 

_0 

0 


!  Church  • 
S  School 

American  Bible  Society . 

Board  of  Temperance,  Etc. . . 

General  Deaconess  Board . . 

•Total  Apportioned  Boards. . 


0 


0 


0 


0 


1 

IT 

JT 

0 


1  3 


TT 


The  offering  per  member  for  the 
Centenary  and  Apportioned  Boards 

(day 

was  —  1  cents  _ l_mills  pery**«h 

(month 

or  the  tithe  of  an  income  of 
- —dollars  _ 1_1  ..cents perMONTH 


Woman’s  Sodetiae,  Etc. 

1  Children's  Day  Fund . . 

0  Woman’s  Foreign  Missionary  Society . 
Woman’s  Home  Missionary  Society  . . 
Total  Woman’s  Societies,  Etc. . . . 


a 


JL 


1 


0 


TT 


Comparative  Statistical  Record 

Full  Member* . . .  . . . 

Net  Property . . 

Total  Ministerial  Support . .  •  • 

Total  Di*ciplinary  Benevolence*  . . » » 


9  8 


6  8  2  0 


730 


5  0  0 

(,4T 


The  increasing  needs  of  the  world  call  for 
substantial  increases  in  offerings  and  the 

FORWARD  MOVEMENT 

ALL  ALONG  THE  LINE 


1  3 


AB  Annual  Per  Capita 


13  2 


A3  includes  Centenary,  War  Reconstruction  and  Apportioned  Boards. 


fed  Agora  U&cata  Ira  ora  the  prates*  yra. 


trterchifrch  World  Movement  of  North  America 


CD  217 


Centenary  Record  Chart 

CENTRAL  ILLINOIS 

• 

District  KANKAKEE 

Charsa—CLIFTON  - 

ASKUM 

Comparative  Board  Record 

19  19 

19  18 

19  17 

DAILY  PARTICIPATION 

P 

(  Church  . 

~ ?T 

3  0 

Board  of  Foreign  Missions  j  ^  School 

~ <F 

f) 

The  offering  per  member  for  the 

Board  of  Home  Missions  \  Church  . 

0 

2  5 

and  Church  Extension  )  S.  School 

"T> 

5 

Centenary  and  Apportioned  Board* 

Freedmen’s  Aid  Society . 

W 

a. 

5 

— 

— 

A 

( Church  . 

Board  of  Sunday  Schools  j  ^  gcj>00j 

3 

9 

i(wy 

4 

“IT 

American  Bible  Society . . . 

'  0 

4 

y5ar 

Board  of  Temperance,  Etc. ......... 

- Dr 

4 

or  the  tithe  of  an  income  of 

General  Dsaconeo*  Board . 

0 

1 

-dollar*  6  9  cent*  perVE  AR 

*  Total  Apportioned  Board*.  •  •  •  •  a 

- TT 

8  8 

Woman’s  Societies,  Etc. 
Children,»  Day  Fund . 

1  g, 

0 

The  increasing  need*  of  the  world  call  for 

B  Woman’s  Foreign  Missionary  Society . 

5  7 

Woman’s  Home  Missionary  Society  . . 

- 

- 

substantial  increases  in  offering*  and  the 

Total  Woman’s  Societies,  Etc. . . . 

6  4 

5  7 

Comparative  Statistical  Record 

1  5  9 

1  7  0 

FORWARD  MOVEMENT 

1  7  0  0  0 

17  0  ft  0 

Total  Ministerial  Support . 

1  3  9T 

1  4  4  3 

ALL  ALONG  THE  LINE 

/  O 

1  4  5 

AR  Annual  Per  Capita 

ft  6  9 

’AB  includes  Centenary,  War  Reconstruction  and  Apportioned  Boards. 

fed  Acw»  todkate  Ira  ara  the  pnrwm  jvu. 

tnterchoreh  World  Movement  of  North  America 

- — - - —  ,  J 

G.Dirr 

EVERYTHING  EXCEPT  THE  KINGDOM 

BY  THE  DAY 

10  cents  per  day  for  carfare 
5  cents  per  day  for  ’phone  call 


2.7  cents  per  day  for  the  Church 


BY  THE  WEEK 

$1.50  per  week  for  room  rent 
.40  cents  per  week  for  ice  cream  and  candy 
.20  cents  per  week  for  moving  pictures 
.18.9  cents  per  week  for  the  Church 

BY  THE  MONTH 

$8.00  per  month  for  clothing 
$3.00  per  month  for  tobacco 


$1.00  per  month  for  the  theatre 


.81  cents  per  month  for  the  Church 


BY  THE  YEAR 

Our  annual  expenditures  for  the  essentials,  or  even  the  non- 
essentials  of  life,  are  so  greatly  out  of  proportion  to  our  total 
giving  for  all  church  purposes,  that  the  space  on  this  page 
will  not  permit  of  a  graph  without  destroying  the  scale  of 

the  above  charts. 


Interchurch  World  Movement  of  North  America 


GD./39 


34 


A  STATISTICAL  MIRROR 


Common  Types  of  Statistical  Errors 


THE  chart  of  statistical  errors  is  from 
an  actual  printed  page  of  church  statis¬ 
tics  for  the  year  1919  and  is  used  to  illustrate 
some  of  the  difficulties  faced  in  efforts  to  present 
accurate  information  concerning  the  work  of  the 
church. 

But  why  give  space  to  a  subject  of  this  kind  in  a 
statistical  publication?  It  is  done  in  order  to 
call  attention  to  some  items  which  may  serve 
to  illustrate  conditions  which  must  be  corrected 
before  we  can  have  accurate  statistical  tables. 

When  errors  occur  we  usually  blame  the  printer. 
But  how  can  the  printer  set  up  in  type  the 
correct  figures  when  the  copy  itself  is  unintel¬ 
ligible.  When  figures  are  carelessly  made,  how 
is  he  to  tell  a  3  from  a  5  or  a  2  from  a  7;  or  when 
a  figure  is  marked  over  without  erasing  the  old 
one  how  is  he  to  know  which  to  use?  A  cause 
of  incorrect  totals  frequently  lies  in  the  fact 
that  the  columns  were  not  correctly  added,  and 
most  of  the  blunders  in  addition  are  due  first, 
to  poor  figures;  and  second,  to  figures  being  out 
of  line,  that  is,  the  unit  figures  are  not  all  in  the 
unit  column.  There  may  be  a  number  of  errors 
on  a  given  page  and  the  total  figures  be  correct. 
When  one  mistake  is  made  to  balance  others  the 
total  isunaffected. 

“But  are  not  statistical  records  checked  or 
proof-read?"  By  no  means;  and  furthermore 
there  are  few  if  any  persons  who  can  read  back 
from  poor -copy.  Proof-reading  figures  from 
good  copy  is  in  itself  an  art. 


When  totals  of  conference,  synod  or  state  con¬ 
vention  records  are  to  be  carried  over  to  a 
recapitulation  page  we  find  very  serious  trouble 
when  these  totals  are  incorrectly  transferred. 
They  are  not  infrequently  entered  in  the  wrong 
column  and  are  often  transposed.  The  subject 
of  the  transposition  of  figures  is  largely  due  to 
defective  attention  and  is  serious.  No  one  who 
transposes  figures  is  competent  to  read  proof  or 
to  check  statistical  records. 

But  the  printer  is  not  guiltless.  He  slips  in  an 
extra  cipher  and  5,000  becomes  50,000.  He 
omits  a  figure  and  441  becomes  41;  and  of  course 
the  columns  will  not  equal  the  original  total. 
Thus  an  injustice  is  done  the  local  record. 

As  a  practical,  up-to-date  illustration,  in  a 
well-known  and  prominent  publication  dated 
December  4,  1919,  the  figures  34,  which  were 
type-set  from  a  correct  photographed  copy, 
were  printed  334,  and  thus  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  is  by  a  printer’s  blunder 
charged  with  having  increased  its  weekly  per 
capita  payment  to  the  support  of  the  ministry 
but  one  cent  in  334  years! 

We  have  always  found  it  necessary  to  re-add 
and  re-check  all  columns  of  figures  and  when 
possible  to  consult  original  sources. 

A  little  extra  care  on  the  part  of  pastors  in 
making  up  their  reports,  and  greater  watchful¬ 
ness  on  the  part  of  printers  in  their  proof-read¬ 
ing  would  insure  greater  accuracy  in  publica¬ 
tions. 


BE  WE  all-  as  careful  as  is  humanly  possible,  some  errors  will 
stealthily  find  their  way  by  us.  It  behooves  us  therefore  to 
mingle  charity  with  care  that,  exercising  mild  judgments  against 
those  who  make  errors,  we  may  be  similarly  dealt  with  in  our 
day  of  misfortune. 


A  PAGE  OF  STATISTICAL  ERRORS 


Interchurch  Wor/d  Movement  of  North  America. 


G.Q83. 


36 


A  STATISTICAL  MIRROR 


For  the  Quiet  Hour 


GOD’S  OWNERSHIP 

In  the  beginning  God  created  the  heavens  and  the  earth. — 
Genesis  1:1. 

God  created  man  in  his  own  image. — Genesis  1:27. 

Whatsoever  is  under  the  whole  heaven  is  mine. — Job  41:11. 

For  every  beast  of  the  forest  is  mine,  And  the  cattle  upon 
a  thousand  hills . .  », .  If  I  were  hungry,  I  would  not  tell 
thee;  For  the  world  is  mine,  and  the  fulness  thereof. — 
Psalms  50:10,  12. 

Behold,  unto  Jehovah  thy  God  belongeth  heaven  and  the 
heaven  of  heavens,  the  earth,  with  all  that  is  therein .... 
For  Jehovah  your  God,  he  is  God  of  gods,  and  Lord  of 
lords,  the  great  God,  the  mighty,  and  the  terrible,  who 
regardeth  not  persons,  nor  taketh  reward.  He  doth  exe¬ 
cute  justice  for  the  fatherless  and  widow,  and  loveth  the 
sojourner,  in  giving  him  food  and  raiment. — Deuteronomy 
10:14,  17,  18. 

MAN’S  WEALTH? 

And  lest  thou  say  in  thine  heart,  My  power  and  the  might 
of  my  hand  hath  gotten  me  this  wealth.  But  thou  shalt 
remember  Jehovah  thy  God,  for  it  is  he  that  giveth  thee 
power  to  get  wealth;  that  he  may  establish  his  covenant 
which  he  sware  unto  thy  fathers,  as  at  this  day.  And  it 
shall  be,  if  thou  shalt  forget  Jehovah  thy  God,  and  walk 
after  other  gods,  and  serve  them,  and  worship  them,  I 
testify  against  you  this  day  that  ye  shall  surely  perish. 
— Deuteronomy  8:17-19. 

If  I  have  made  gold  my  hope.  And  have  said  to  the  fine 
gold,  Thou  art  my  confidence;  If  I  have  rejoiced  because 
my  wealth  was  great,  And  because  my  hand  had  gotten 
much  .  This  also  were  an  iniquity. — Job  31 :24, 25, 28. 

They  spend  their  days  in  prosperity.  And  in  a  moment  go 
dovm  to  Sheol. — Job  21:13. 

Come  now,  ye  that  say,  To-day  or  to-morrow  we  will  go  into 
this  city,  and  spend  a  year  there,  and  trade,  and  get  gain: 
whereas  ye  know  not  what  shall  be  on  the  morrow.  What 
is  your  life?  For  ye  are  a  vapor  that  appeareth  for  a  little 
time,  and  then  vanisheth  away.  For  that  ye  ought  to 
say,  If  the  Lord  will,  we  shall  both  live,  and  do  this  or 
that. — James  4:13-15. 

Wilt  thou  set  thine  eyes  upon  that  which  is  not?  For  riches 
certainly  make  themselves  wings,  Like  an  eagle  that  flieth 
toward  heaven. — Proverbs  23:5. 

SEPARATED  PORTIONS 

And  all  the  tithe  of  the  land,  whether  of  the  seed  of  the 
land,  or  of  the  fruit  of  the  tree,  is  Jehovah’s:  it  is  holy  unto 
Jehovah. — Leviticus  27:30. 

And  as  soon  as  the  commandment  came  abroad,  the  chil¬ 
dren  of  Israel  gave  in  abundance  the  first-fruits  of  grain, 
new  wine,  and  oil,  and  honey,  and  of  all  the  increase  of  the 


field;  and  the  tithe  of  all  things  brought  they  in  abundantly 
. .  .they  also  brought  in  the  tithe  of  oxen  and  sheep,  and 
•the  tithe  of  dedicated  things  which  were  consecrated  unto 

Jehovah  their  God,  and  laid  them  by  heaps _ Since  the 

people  began  to  bring  the  oblations  into  the  house  of 
Jehovah,  we  have  eaten  and  had  enough,  and  have  left 
plenty:  for  Jehovah  hath  blessed  his  people;  and  that 
which  is  left  is  this  great  store. — 2  Chronicles  31 :5,  6, 10. 
To  whom  also  Abraham  divided  a  tenth  part  of  all. — - 
Hebrews  7:2. 

Then  this  stone,  which  I  have  set  up  for  a  pillar,  shall  be 
God’s  house:  and  of  all  that  thou  shalt  give  me  I  will  surely 
give  the  tenth  unto  thee. — Genesis  28:22. 

Thou  shalt  surely  tithe  all  the  increase  of  thy  seed,  that 
which  cometh  forth  from  the  field  year  by  year. — Deut¬ 
eronomy  14:22. 

RICHES 

If  riches  increase,  set  npt  your  heart  thereon. — Psalms 
62:10. 

Better  is  a  little,  with  righteousness,  Than  great  revenues 
with  injustice  How  much  better  is  it  to  get  wisdom 
than  gold!  Yea,  to  get  understanding  is  rather  to  be 
chosen  than  silver. — Proverbs  16:8,  16. 

Charge  them  that  are  rich  in  this  present  world,  that  they 
be  not  highminded,  nor  have  their  hope  set  on  the  uncer¬ 
tainty  of  riches,  but  on  God,  who  giveth  us  richly  all 
things  to  enjoy. — 1  Timothy  6:17. 

A  good  name  is  rather  to  be  chosen  than  great  riches,  And 
loving  favor  rather  than  silver  and  gold. — Proverbs  22:1. 

He  that  loveth  silver  shall  not  be  satisfied  with  silver;  nor 
he  that  loveth  abundance,  with  increase:  .  .and  what 
advantage  is  there  to  the  owner  thereof,  save  the  beholding 
of  them  with  his  eyes?  There  is  a  grievous  evil  which  I 
have  seen  under  the  sun,  namely,  riches  kept  by  the  owner 
thereof  to  his  hurt. — Ecclesiastes  5:10,  11,  13. 

There  is  that  seattereth.and  increaseth  yet  more;  And  there 
is  that  withholdeth  more  than  is  meet,  but  it  tendeth  only 
to  want.  The  liberal  soul  shall  be  made  fat .  .  Proverbs 

11:24,  25. 

There  is  that  maketh  himself  rich,  yet  hath  nothing:  There 
is  that  maketh  himself  poor,  yet  hath  great  wealth. — 
Proverb  13:7. 

But  they  that  are  minded  to  be  rich  fall  into  a  temptation 
and  a  snare  and  many  foolish  and  hurtful  lusts,  such 
as  drown  men  in  destruction  and  perdition.  For  the  love 
of  money  is  a  roc*  of  all  kinds  of  evil;  which  some  reaching 
after  have  been  led  astray  from  the  faith,  and  have 
pierced  themselves  through  with  many  sorrows.  But 
thou,  O  man  of  God,  flee  these  things;  and  follow  after 
righteousness,  godliness,  faith,  love,  patience,  meekness. 
— I  Timothy  6:9-11. 


A  STATISTICAL  MIRROR 


37 


For  the  Quiet 

WANING 

For  whau  all  a  man  be  profited,  if  he  shall  gain  the  whole 
world,  al  forfeit  his  life?  or  what  shall  a  man  give  in 
exchange  r  his  life? — Matthew  16:26. 

Neither  eir  silver  nor  their  gold  shall  be  able  to  deliver 
them  in  e  day  of  Jehovah’s  wrath. — Zephaniah  1:18. 

Woe  un  you,  scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites!  for  ye 
tithe  ml  and  anise  and  cummin,  and  have  left  undone 
the  weigier  matters  of  the  law,  justice,  and  mercy,  and 
faith;  b  these  ye  ought  to  have  done,  and  not  to  have 
left  the  ocr  undone. — Matthew  23:23. 

How  ha  is  it  for  them  that  trust  in  riches  to  enter  into 
the  kingim  of  God! — Mark  10:24. 

PRCIISE 

Honor  Jiovah  with  thy  substance,  And  with  the  first 
fruits  of  11  thine  increase:  So  shall  thy  barns  be  filled 
with  pley.— Proverbs  3:9-10. 

Return  uo  me,  and  I  will  return  unto  you,  saith  Jehovah 
of  hosts  ut  ye  say,  Wherein  shall  we  return?  Will  a  man 
rob  Godfet  ye  rob  me.  But  ye  say,  WTierein  have  we 
robbed  tc?  In  tithes  and  offerings.  Ye  are  cursed  with 
the  curs  jor  ye  rob  me,  even  this  whole  nation.  Bring  ye 
the  who  tithe  into  the  store-house,  that  there  may  be 
food  in  y  house,  and  prove  me  now  herewith,  saith 
Jehovah  hosts,  if  I  will  not  open  you  the  windows  of 
heaven,  al  pour  you  out  a  blessing,  that  there  shall  not 
be  room  .augh  to  receive  it.— Malachi  3:7-10. 

But  seete  first  his  kingdom,  and  his  righteousness;  and 
all  these  ings  shall  be  added  unto  you.— Matthew  6:33. 
Jesus  sa  unto  him,  If  thou  wouldest  be  perfect,  go,  sell 
that  whi.  thou  hast,  and  give  to  the  poor,  and  thou  shalt 

have  treure  in  heaven:  and  come,  follow  me.— Matthew 
19:21. 

OFIRINGS 

Let  eachnan  do  according  as  he  hath  purposed  in  his 


Hour  (Continued) 

heart:  not  grudgingly,  or  of  necessity:  for  God  loveth  a 
cheerful  giver.— II  Corinthians  9:7. 

Upon  the  first  day  of  the  week  let  each  one  of  you  lay  by 
him  in  store,  as  he  may  prosper.— I  Corinthians  16:2. 

For  if  the  readiness  is  there,  it  is  acceptable  according  as 
a  man  hath,  not  according  as  he  hath  not.— II  Corinthians 
8:12. 

And  Zacchaeus  stood,  and  said  unto  the  Lord,  Behold, 
Lord,  the  half  of  my  goods  I  give  to  the  poor.— Luko 
19:8. 

For  they  all  did  cast  in  of  their  superfluity;  but  sho  of  her 
want  did  cast  in  all  that  she  had,  even  all  her  living.— 
Mark  12:44. 

WORSHIP 

And  ye  are  not  your  own;  for  ye  were  bought  with  a  price: 
glorify  God  therefore  in  your  body.— 1  Corinthians  6: 
19,  20. 

What  shall  I  render  unto  Jehovah  For  all  his  benefits 
toward  me?  I  will  take  the  cup  of  salvation.  And  call  upon 
the  name  of  Jehovah.  I  will  pay  my  vows  unto  Jehovah, 
Yea,  in  the  presence  of  all  his  people.— Psalms  116:12-14. 

Ascribe  unto  Jehovah  the  glory  due  unto  his  name:  Bring 
an  offering,  and  come  before  him;  Worship  Jehovah  in 
holy  array.— I  Chronicles  16:29. 

The  God  that  made  the  world  and  all  things  therein,  he, 
being  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  dwelleth  not  in  temples 
made  with  hands;  neither  is  he  served  by  men’s  hands, 
as  though  he  needed  anything,  seeing  he  himself  giveth  to 
all  life,  and  breath,  and  all  things;  and  he  made  of  one 
every  nation  of  men  to  dwell  on  all  the  face  of  the  earth, 
having  determined  their  appointed  seasons,  and  the 
bounds  of  their  habitation;  that  they  should  seek  God,  if 
haply  they  might  feel  after  him  and  find  him,  though  he  is 
not  far  from  each  one  of  us:  for  in  him  we  live,  and  move, 
and  have  our  being. — Acts  17:24-28. 


Extended  Scripture  Readings 


braham  and  Melchizedek . Genesis  14:13-24 

~cob’s'  Covenant . Genesis  28:10-22 

-•vid’s  Stewardship . . . I  Chronicles  29:1-30 

bat  Jesus  Said . Matthew  6:19-34 

'•te  Parable  of  the  Talents . Matthew  25:14-30 

^wardship  in  the  Jerusalem  Church  . . .  Acts  4:  31—5:11 


38 


A  STATISTICAL  MIRROR 


For  Scripture  Notes 


A  STATISTICAL  MIRROR 


39 


The  Valley  of  Dry  Bones 


CAN  statistics  be  made  to  live?  Can. 

records  be  pictured  ?  What  could  be 
duller,  drier  or  more  uninteresting  than  a 
statistical  lantern-slide  lecture?  But  statistics 
when  accurately  compiled  are  records  of  fact; 
of  life’s  achievements,  its  victories  or  its  failures. 
They  uncover  the  covetousness  and  reveal  the 
liberality  of  men.  They  are  the  inexorable, 
unescapable  records.  They  reflect  actual  con¬ 
ditions  like  a  mirror. 

Dry  as  figures  are  in  statistical  columns,  the 
moment  they  are  made  to  apply  to  the  individ¬ 
ual  they  take  on  bone  and  sinew,  flesh  and 
sblood.  They  reveal  tragedies  of  failure  and 
epics  of  glorious  achievement.  The  camouflage 
of  statistics  is  the  covering  up  or  counter¬ 
balancing  of  the  individual  items  which  make 
up  the'  total.  The  miser  may  hide  behind 
the  total  and  the  liberal  man  may  be  lost  from 
view  when  the  giving  of  the  congregation  to 
which  he  belongs  is  reduced  to  an  average. 

Nothing  is  farther  from  the  truth  than  the  idea 
that  statistics  are  dry.  But  one  must  get  close 


to  them  in  order  to  understand  them ;  must  live 
intimately  with  them  so  as  to  be  able  to  inter¬ 
pret  their  meaning. 

They  will  often  reveal  facts  which  will  hold  the 
attention  as.  closely  as  a  fascinating  novel  and 
will  cover  an  equally  wide  range  of  human 
emotion,  sacrifice  and  indulgence,  loyalty  and 
treachery. 

Further,  if  this  intimate  relationship  is  con¬ 
tinued,  it  will  be  discovered  that  these  charac¬ 
teristics  of  statistics  can  be  expressed  in  inter¬ 
esting  diagrams,  graphs  and  pictures  and  made 
into  lantern  slides  to  be  projected  on  the  screen, 
so  that  the  eye  can  help  the  ear  of  the  listener 
as  the  speaker  explains  and  interprets  the 
startling  facts  of  character  and  achievement 
revealed  by  statistical  records. 

There  are  introduced  here  four  sample  pages 
taken  from  the  midst  of  a  stereopticon  lecture 
dealing  with  statistical  records  regarding  wealth, 
money,  income,  church  support  and  benevo¬ 
lences. 


400  B.C. 


RETURN  UNTO  ME 


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ft 


40 


A  STATISTICAL  MIRROR 


Winnowing  Grain 

PRIMITIVE  methods  are  still  practised  in  the  Far  East.  They  thresh  their  grain  and  plow 
their  fields  in  Palestine  today  just  as  they  did  in  the  days  of  our  Lord.  It  is  easy  to  see  that 
their  methods  are  laborious  and  the  consequent  results  very  meagre.  Millions  of  people  are 
living  in  abject  poverty  in  India,  Multitudes  have  never  known  during  a  single  day  of  their 
lives  what  it  is  to  have  enough  to  eat. 

Here  the  grain  is  beaten  out  with  hand  flails  or  with  stone  rollers  drawn  by  oxen.  As  seen  in  the 
picture  the  grain  is  tossed  into  the  air  on  windy  days  or  poured  out  from  elevated  platforms  or 
stools.  The  chaff  is  blown  away  by  the  wind  while  the  grain  falls  to  the  ground  to  be  gathered  up 
by  the  toiler. 


A  STATISTICAL  MIRROR 


41 


Poverty’s  Offering 

OUT  of  their  poverty  they  set  apart  the  tithe.  These  offerings  frequently  represent  more 
than  the  tithe  and  are  to  be  classed  with  the  widow’s  mite,  for  she  gave  her  whole  living. 

In  the  home  of  the  Christian  family  in  India,  so  poor  that  it  has  no  money  to  give,  stands  the 
“vessel  of  blessing,”  usually  an  unglazed  earthen  jar. 

At  each  meal  time  the  wife  and  mother  puts  into  this  jar  a  handful  of  grain  taken  out  of  the  very 
living  of  the  family 

On  the  day  of  the  church  meeting  this  grain  is  carried  to  the  meeting-place  in  the  man’s  body 
belt  and  is  poured  out  on  the  collection  cloth. 

The  picture  shows  the  native  Christian  pouring  out  his  offering  of  grain  which  falls  upon  the 
cloth  spread  upon  the  floor,  to  be  presented  to  the  church  as  his  offering. 


42 


A  STATISTICAL  MIRROR 


UNITED  STATES’  GRAIN  CROP 

1918 


The  Modern  Thresher 

IN  OPEN  contrast  with  the  Far  East  is  this  modern  thresher.  What  could  not  the  man -who 
owns  the  field  or  the  thresher  do  if  he  had  the  “loving  loyalty”  of  the  Indian  Christian  in 
the  preceding  picture. 

America  is  rich  beyond  imagination  in  all  that  constitutes  national  wealth.  We  are  rich  in  houses 
and  land;  in  gold  and  silver;  in  iron  and  coal;  in  cotton  and  wool  and  grain.  The  best  of  modern 
facilities  are  at  our  command. 

The  United  States  grain  crop  for  1918,  corn,  wheat,  oats,  barley,  rye,  buckwheat  and  rice,  amounted 
to  5,441,357,000  bushels,  valued  on  the  farm  at  $6,971,634,000. 

Compare  this  method  of  threshing  with  the  Indian  method.  Not  with  flail  nor  with  stone  rollers 
drawn  by  slow  moving  oxen,  but  by  thousands  of  steel-spiked  cylinders,  18  to  40  inches  in  diameter, 
and  36  to  66  inches  long;  driven  by  power  plants  of  6  to  25  horse  power  and  with  a  f  apacity  of 
60  to  200  bushels  an  hour. 


A  STATISTICAL  MIRROR 


43 


PRO  RATA  SHARE 


OF  THE 


PROTESTANT  CHURCHES 


IN  THE 


GRAIN  CROP  OF  1918 


BUSHELS 

1,360,339,000 

VALUE  AT  FARM 
$1,742,908,000 


THE  TITHE 
OF  OUR 
SHARE 


BUSHELS  '136,033,900 

VALUE  AT  FARM  $174,290,800 


The  Grain  Tithe 

ON  THE  supposition  that  the  Protestant  churches  of  the  United  States  had  their  pro 
rata  share  of  the  nation’s  gram  crop  and  that  they  should  tithe  it,  the  tithe  of  this  grain 
alone  would  equal  70  per  cent,  of  the  total  expenses,  local  and  benevolent,  of  the  givings  of 
Protestant  Christianity  for  the  year  1918. 

When  Christian  people  come  to  set  apart  tithes  and  offerings  of  the  product  of  the  fields,  forests 
and  mines;  when  the  profits  of  factories,  shops,  banks  and  stores,  and  when  wages  and  salaries 
are  all,  according  to  our  prosperity,  brought  into  the  storehouse,  then  the  promised  blessing  such 
as  there  will  not  be  room  enough  to  contain,  will  be  poured  out  upon  the  church  at  home,  and  a 
new  thrill  of  life  will  be  sent  round  the  world. 


A  Soldier’s  Estimate 

of  the 

Interchurch 
World  Movement 

A  SERGEANT  in  the  150th  Field 
Artillery  of  the  famous  Rainbow 
Division,  who  spent  twenty-two  months 
in  France  and  was  in  all  the  big  drives 
where  Americans  took  part,  writes  from 
Denver  University  to  his  father  in  New 
York: 

“Truly,  the  churches  of  the  world  are 
awakening  to  their  great  oppor¬ 
tunity. 

“This  Interchurch  Movement  is  the 
biggest  thing  in  the  world  today. 

“In  the  church  and  in  a  broad  Chris¬ 
tianity  lies  the  solution  of  the 
present  unrest. 

“This  unrest  centers,  I  think,  in  the 
individual,  and  the  church  must 
center  its  efforts  to  appeal  to  the 
individual.” 


. 


- 


. 


' 


■ 


